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Photographic 

Sciences 
Corporatioii 


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THE  GOLDEN  NORTH 


A  Vast  Country  of  Inexhaustible  Gold 

Fields,  and  a  Land  of  Illimitable 

Cereal  and  Stock  Raising 

Capabilities. 


BY  C.  R.  TUTTLE, 

Author  "Canadian  North  Land,"  Meteorolcoical  Observbr  of 

Canadian  Government  Expeditions  to  Hudson's 'bay 

and  Strait,  and  the  Par  Northwest. 


illustrated  with  maps  and  engravings. 


CHICAGO: 

Rand,  McNallv  &  Co.,  PuBusHERi, 
1897. 


126158 


71 


Copyriglit,  ,897,  by  Rand,  McNally  &  Co. 


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\  i 


PREFACE. 


The  rush  after  the  rich  deposits  of  virgin  gold  in  the 
far  northwest  will  be  doubly  rewarded.  Those  who  go 
in  seach  of  the  precious  metal,  with  proper  equipment, 
will  not  return  empty  handed.  Experiments  already 
made  warrant  the  statement  that  gold  may  be  found 
there  in  great  abundance,  and  that  it  may  be  separated 
from  the  baser  material  with  which  it  is  associated,  at 
slight  cost,  although  of  course,  only  be  enduring  the 
hardships  incident  to  a  miner's  life  in  a  frozen  country. 
To  those  willing,  and  physically  able  to  make  the 
necessary  sacrifices,  the  Golden  North  offers  a  Golden 
Prize. 

But  it  offers  more  than  this.  Hard  by  the  vast  auri- 
ferous slopes  which  hang  down  from  the  summit  of  the 
watershed  that  divides  the  two  great  river  systems  of 
the  north,  are  vast  alluvial  plains  stretching  up  to  the 
65th  parallel,  where  stock  raising,  dairying  and  the 
cultivation  of  cereals  may  be  carried  on  without  limit 
and  with  great  profit. 

When  the  northwest  routes  to  the  gold  fields  have 
been  opened  for  travel  as  they  will  be  in  a  short  timt, 
returning  gold  hunters  will  not  only  exhibit  the  for- 
tunes taken  from  the  banks  of  creek  and  gulch  of  the 
higher  elevations,  but  they  will  tell  of  the  mighty  val- 
leys and  prairies  of  the  basins  of  the  Peace,  Athabasca 
and  Mackenzie  rivers;  and,  their  telling  will  result  in 
the  colonization  and  development  of  the  greatest  ag- 


11 


PREFACE. 


ricultural  and  stock  raising  El  Dorado  on  the  face  of 
the  earth. 

The  north  is  a  country  of  gold.  It  will  become  a  land 
of  golden  harvests.  For  centuries  Nature  has  been 
pushing  back  the  cold,  farther  and  farther  towards  the 
pole,  and  been  preparing  a  new  land  for  the  over- 
crowded populations  of  these  lower  latitudes.  The 
Klondike  bells  are  now  ringing  out  the  glory  of  that 
land.  The  march  of  the  weary,  the  disappointed,  and 
the  oppressed  is  to  be  into  higher  latitudes,  where  the 
bounties  of  Providence  have  been  spread  with  a  lavish 
hand. 

CHARLES  R.  TUTTLE. 

Chicago,  Sept.  15,  1897. 


■■-- 

I 


CONTENTS. 


M 


CHAPTER    I. 
GOLD  AND  COLONIZATION. 

Northwesterly  trend  of  progress— Gradual  adrance  of  soil, 
forests,  cereals,  population,  commerce  and  civilization 
towards  the  Arctic— Extent  of  the  gold-bearing  districts 
of  the  great  North— History  repeating  itself— Prospects 
of  the  Golden  North. 

CHAPTER    II. 
VA8TNKSB   OP   THE    NORTH    LAND. 

It!  mighty  river  systems  and  basins — Basin  of  the  Yukon 
— The  wonderful  Peace  River  country — Fertile  plains 
and  prairies  extending  up  to  the  64th  parellel— The 
great  plains  of  the  Saskatchewan  basin — The  Churchill 
country  and  the  basins  of  James'  and  Ungava  Bay. 

CHAPTER   HI. 
TRADING   POSTS   OP   THE    NORTH. 

Trails  across  the  continent  in  the  sub-Arctic  belt— Many 
that  have  been  traveled  for  two  centuries — Short  cut  to 
the  gold  fields  of  the  Klondike  from  Edmonton  via  Lake 
Athabaska  and  the  Upper  Mackenzie — The  quicker  and 
cheaper  route — List  of  North  Land  trading  stations — 
Hints  on  map  study. 

CHAPTER   IV. 
THE    YUKON    DISTRICT-ALASKA. 

From  Bering  Sea  to  the  junction  of  the  Pelly  and  Lewis 
rivers— Cereal,  vegetable  and  stock  capabilities — The 
forests  and  climate — Value  of  the  white  spruce. 

(iii) 


IV 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER  V. 

UPPER    YUKON    OR    KLONDIKE    REGION. 

Auriferous  areas  lying  west  of  the  Mackenzie  watershed- 
Territory  is  duplicated  in  extent  and  gold  bearing 
riches  on  the  slopes  east  of  the  summit — Three  great 
routes  to  the  Klondike — Reasons  why  the  all-overland 
route  will  become  most  favored. 

CHAPTER   VI. 

UPPER    YUKON    OR    KLONDIKE    REGION. 
(Continued.) 

Pioneers  of  the  Klondike  country — Administration  of  min- 
ing laws,  tariff  regulations  and  homestead  entry  rules 
extended  to  the  district  l)y  the  Canadian  government- 
Explorations  of  Dr.  Dawson  and  Surveyor  Ogilvie — In- 
crease of  mining  camps. 


CHAPTER   VII. 
THE   ALEUTIAN    DISTRICT-ALASKA. 

A  mountainous  and  volcanic  country — Broad  meadows  and 
sloping  hillsides — Stock  raising  and  cereal  capabilities- 
Altitude  limit  of  vegetation. 


•  I 


CHAPTER   VIII.  ' 

SITKAN    DISTRICT— ALASKA. 

Channels,  natural  canals,  rivers  and  lakes — The  water  high- 
ways of  the  country — Great  timber  resources  of  Southern 
Alaska — Wild  berries  abundant — Pest  of  mosquitoes  and 
files — Stock  and  agriculture. 

CHAPTER   IX. 
UPPER    YUKON— LEWIS    RIVER. 

From  Lake  Bennett  to  the  head  of  the  Lewis — Down  the 
Lewis  to  the  Yukon — A  country  of  lakes  and  rivers— 
The  Klondike  region  proper — Its  extent — Rich  gold  dis- 
coveries eastward  from  the  Klondike— Dr.  Dawson's 
opinion  of  the  Klondike — Surveyor  Ogilvie's  explora- 
tions. 


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CONTENTS.  V 

CHAPTER    X. 

UPPER    YUKON    AND    TRIBUTARIES. 

The  North  Country  from  the  International  boundary  to  th« 
junction  of  the  Lewis  and  Pelly — The  Stewart  River- 
Other  streams— Sixty  Mile  River— The  Klondike  River 
and  tributary  creelts— Forty  Mile  River. 


CHAPTER    XI. 
UPPER    YUKON-AGRICULTURE    AND    TIMBER. 

Only  a  small  proportion  of  the  region  available  for  cereal 
and  vegetable  crops — Considerable  areas  of  timber  suit- 
able for  manufacturing  purposes — An  abundance  of  trees 
for  firewood  and  for  all  mining  necessities. 


•  I 


CHAPTER    XII. 
WEALTH  OF  THE  KLONDIKE. 

Inexhaustible  deposits  of  placer  and  quartz  gold — The  sil- 
ver-bearing rock — Vast  coal  fields — Reports  of  govern- 
ment ofilcials  that  read  like  tales  of  the  Arabian  Nighci 
— Sensational  reports  of  Surveyor  Oglivie. 


CHAPTER   XIII. 
PROCESS    OF    PLACER    MINING. 

Methods  of  the  prospector — Use  of  the  pan,  the  rocker  and 
the  sluice — Mining  in  the  far  north — Continuous  day- 
light in  summer  and  almost  perpetual  darkness  in  win- 
ter— Filling  the  hours  of  summer  with  hard  work — 
"Burning"  in  winter — Vast  Peace  River  gold  discoveries. 


CHAPTER   XIV. 
FURS,  FISH  AND  GAME  OF  THE  KLONDIKE. 

The  silver  gray,  black  and  red  fox — Abundance  of  game — 
The  Caribou,  moose  and  the  grizzly,  brown,  black  and 
silver-tip  bears— Salmon  and  other  fish. 


vi 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER    XV. 


IMPORTANT   INTERNATIONAL  QUE8TIONB. 

V«rlfled  reports  of  rich  gold  discoveries  and  the  arrival  of 
the  precious  metal  In  this  country  likely  ^o  send  a  Tast 
population  from  the  United  States  to  the  Klondike 
regions — Might  possibly  lead  to  a  war  between  England 
and  this  country— The  feeling  in  London — Chicago  and 
London  competitors— Routes  for  railroad  communioa* 
tlon— Settlement  of  the  boundary  question. 


CHAPTER   XVL 
THE  GREAT  FERTILE  NORTH, 

A  boundless  territory  of  inexhaustible  bread,  meat  and 
dairy  capabilities — Coal  and  other  resources — How  thtt 
lower  levels  are  sheltered  from  storms  and  cold. 


CHAPTER   XVn. 


f 


CANADIAN  NORTHWEST. 

Districts  of  Assinlboia,  Saskatchewan,  Alberts  and  Atha- 
baska — The  vast  fertile  plains  to  the  aorth  of  these — 
Oreatest  a^^ricultural  and  stock  raising  region  on  Mrth. 


CHAPTER   XVIII. 
RESOURCES  OF   BRITISH   COLUMBIA. 

Excellent  climate— Abundance  of  coal — Gold  in  Inexhaust- 
ible quantities— Iron,  copper,  galena,  mercury,  plati- 
num, plumbago,  mica,  salt  and  many  other  valuable 
deposits — Progress  of  the  mines. 


CHAPTER   XIX. 
COUNTRY  OF  THE  SKEENA. 

Trip  from  Port  Simpson  on  the  Pacific  to  the  summit  of 
Pine  River  Pass — Wonderful  mountain  and  valley  scen- 
ery— Resources  of  the  mighty  valleys. 


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CONTENTS.  Vll 


CHAPTER   XX. 
FROM  THE  ROCKIES  TO  CHURCHILL. 

A  transcontinental  route  from  Atlantic  to  Pacific  through 
Hudson's  Bay  and  Strait — Across  the  rich,  fertile  prair- 
ies, thA)ugh  the  Pine  River  Pass— Vast  areas  of  rich 
lands. 

CHAPTER   XXI. 

METROPOLIS  OF  THE  KLONDIKE. 

Description  of  the  immediate  Klondilce  country — Life  at 
Dawson  City— Boom  in  real  estate— Trading  and  the 
high  price  of  supplies— Saloons  and  gambling— The 
future  of  Dawson  City. 

CHAPTER   XXII. 

NORTHWEST   ROUTES  TC       OLD  FIELDS. 

Description  of  trail  by  the  Lewir  and  Peace  rivers — Short 
and  cheap  cut  to  the  Klor  \  ke— ^.^oute  by  the  Pelly  and 
Liard  rivers. 

CHAPTER    ^:XiiI. 
YUKON  AND  JUNEAU  ROUTES. 

Description  of  St.  Michaels — Temperature  and  <ce— Season 
of  navigation  on  the  Yulion— "Fort  Get  There"— The 
Dyea  and  Skaguay  passes. 

CHAPTER    XXIV. 

ALASKAN  BOUNDARY  QUESTION. 

Alaskan  boundary  controversy  and  correspondence  be- 
tween the  United  States  and  Dominion  of  Canada- 
Population  of  Alaska — Increase  owing  to  gold  dis- 
coveries. 

CHAPTER   XXV. 

TOWNS  AND  TRADING  POSTS  OF  ALASKA. 

Sitka  and  Juneau — St.  Michaels  and  the  trading  posts  of  the 
Aleutian  Islands — Douglas  City  and  the  great  Treadwell 
gold  mine — Trade  and  traffic. 


Vlll 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER    XXVI. 

THE   FUR   SEAL  CONTROVERSY. 

Account  of  the  fur  sealing  grounds  and  their  great  value — 
The  annual  catch — Pelagic  sealing — History  of  the 
great  cci^troversy — Solution  of  all  difficulties  practi- 
cally accomplished. 

CHAPTER    XXVn. 

SALMON,   WHALES,   COD  AND  HERRING. 

Extent  of  the  Alaskan  fisheries — Statistics  of  the  salmon 
catch — Product  of  oil,  bone  and  ivory — Cod  and  herring 
fisheries. 

CHAPTER    XXVni. 

COMMERCE,    GOVERNMENT,    TRANSPORTATION. 

Transportation  facilities — Exports  and  imports — Territorial 
government — The  civil  list  of  Alaska. 


CHAPTER    XXIX. 

RESOURCES  OF   HUDSON'S   BAY. 

Mountains  of  pure  mica — The  salmon  fisheries  of  Ungava — 
The  Eskimos  and  their  language — Extracts  from  prayer 
and  hymn  books — On  to  Churchill. 


CHAPTER    XXX. 

IN  HUDSON'S  STRAIT. 

Its  length,  width  and  islands — Height  of  its  tides,  and  ve- 
locity of  its  tidal  currents — Talks  with  Eskimos. 


CHAPTER    XXXI. 


CAPTURING  A  WHALE. 

Scenes  and  impressions  of  Marble  Island — Visit  to  the  Rose 
Welcome — The  "crow's  nest"  and  Lookout-man— Har- 
pooning a  whale — An  exciting  contest— A  "flurry." 


CONTENTS, 


IX 


CHAPTER    XXXII. 
DAY  AT  FORT  CHURCHILL. 

Rev.  Mr.  Lofthouse — A  curious  courtship  by  photograph  and 
letter-  An  intended  bride  starts  from  the  old  country 
for  Hudson's  Bay  to  become  the  wife  of  a  missionary — 
The  porpoise  fishery. 

CHAPTER    XXXIII. 

OBSERVATIONS  AT  YORK  FACTORY. 

Buildings  at  the  trading  post — The  Churchill  and  the  school 
— An  Interesting  murder  trial. 

CHAPTER    XXXIV. 

PORPOISE.   WALRUS   AND   SEAL. 

Character  and  value  of  these  animals — The  porpoibe  fish- 
eries— The  Walrus  hunt — Peculiarities  of  Narwhal — 
Probabilities  of  a  seal  breeding  ground  in  Hudson's 
Strait— Great  possibilities  of  the  oil  industry. 

CHAPTER    XXXV. 

FUR  BEARING  ANIMALS. 

The  silver,  blue,  gray,  red  and  white  foxes — The  ermine — 
The  marten — The  otter — The  varying  hare — The  lynx 
—The  wolf — The  sable,  musk  ox,  etc.— The  fur  trade. 

CHAPTER    XXXVI. 

OBSERVATIONS   ON   THE   ESKIMOS. 

Romance  of  the  marriage  of  an  Eskimo  Princess— Habits  of 
life— The  Kayak. 

CHAPTER    XXXVII. 

NATURE'S   NEWEST   LAND. 

Wonflers  of  the  new  north— Product  of  natural  laws  for  the 
last  one  thousand  years— Specific  work  of  glaziers— New 
areas  for  many  millions — Probable  gold  and  other 
products — Hard  times  to  disappear  as  dew  before  an 
advancing  sun. 


X  CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER    XXXVIII. 
GOLD  OUTPUT  OF  THE  WORLD. 

Interesting  article  by  Director  Preston  of  the  United  Statei 
Mint— Statistics. 

.  CHAPTER    XXXIX. 

HON.   CLIFFORD  SEFTON. 

Minister  of  the  Interior  of  the  Canadian  Government — Head 
Official  in  charge  of  the  New  El  Dorado. 

CHAPTER  XL. 

THE  PEACE-LIARD-PELLY  ROUTE. 

Detailed  description  of  the  Northwest  Route,  via  the  Peace, 
Liard  and  Pelly  rivers  from  Edmonton  to  the  Yukon. 


APPENDIX. 

I. — Routes  and  distances. 
II. — Facts  about  gold. 

III.— Canadian  and  Alaskan  mining  laws  and  regulations. 
IV. — Canadian  land  regulations. 

V. — Cost  of  supplies  and  outfits.  ' 


.' -'■«-*    i 


THE  GOLDEN  NORTH. 


CHAPTER  I. 

GOLD  ANb  COLONIZATION. 

Northwesterly  trend  of  progress — Gradual  advance  of  soil, 
forests,  cereals,  population,  commerce  and  civilization 
towards  the  Arctic— Extent  of  the  gold-bearing  districts 
of  the  great  North— History  repeating  itself  -Prospects 
of  the  Golden  North. 

The  gold  deposits  cf  the  Klondike  are  probably  un- 
equalled in  any  part  of  the  world  either  as  to  their 
extent  or  the  significance  of  their  discovery.  It  is  evi- 
dent to  those  acquainted  with  the  character  and  geo- 
logical formation  of  that  region,  including  the  whole 
country  traversed  by  the  gulches  and  creeks  (.owing 
into  the  upper  waters  of  the  Yukon  and  the  Mackenzie, 
that  still  richer  strikes  will  be  made  in  the  near  future, 
and  that  the  gold  fever  of  1897  will  be  eclipsed  by  that 
of  1898. 

Beyond  doubt  the  efforts  of  the  prospector  will  be 
richly  rewarded  in  both  placer  and  quartz  diggings 
throughout  nearly  the  whole  country  between  the  55th 
and  65th  parallels  and  the  125th  and  145th  degrees,  an 
auriferous  area  of  nearly  600,000  square  miles,  and 
sufficient  to  profitably  engage  250,000  miners.  This 
does  not  include  the  gold  fields  of  southern  Alaska, 
nor  the  extensive  yellow  metal  deposits  in  the  greater 
part  of  British  Columbia,  but  it  does  cover  the  Koot- 
enai discoveries. 

This  vast  gold  bearing  tract  consists  of  the  water- 
shed or  great  summit-divide  between  the  main  upper 
tributaries  of  the  Yukon  and  the  Mackenzie  rivers,  the 


THE  GOLDEN  NORTH. 


lower  depressions  of  which  are  from  1,500  to  3,000  feet 
above  sea  level.  It  is  well  timbered  and  is  subject  to  a 
snow  fall  of  from  two  to  five  feet  according  to  altitude, 
the  higher  elevations  receiving  the  heaviest  snow  man- 
tle during  the  winter  season,  which  extends  from  the 
middle  of  September  or  first  of  October  to  the  latter 
part  of  April,  or  between  seven  and  eight  months, 
leaving  but  a  little  more  than  four  months  of  summer 
and  autumn.  There  is  no  spring  season,  properly 
speaking,  in  that  country.  These  four  months,  how- 
ever, contain  in  the  aggregate,  as  many  hours  of  sun- 
shine as  six  summer  months  in  the  latitude  of  Chica- 
go. 

The  country  is  rugged,  traversed  everywhere  by 
deep  gulches  and  mountain  streams,  the  formations 
almost  invariably  indicating  the  presence  of  gold  de- 
posits in  both  gravel  and  quartz.  Those  best  ac- 
quainted with  the  region  expect  that  far  richer  strikes 
will  be  made  considerably  east  of  the  Klondike  and 
on  both  sides  of  the  summit  dividing  the  two  great 
river  systems. 

These  gold  discoveries  which  are  now  engrossing 
the  attention  of  the  people  everywhere  are  significant. 
They  will  undoubtedly  mark  a  new  epoch  in  the  prog- 
ress and  development  uf  this  continent.  Thousands 
upon  thousands  will  push  northward  after  gold.  Trans- 
portation facilities  will  have  to  be  provided  so  that  sup- 
plies will  be  cheaper  and  more  abundant,  and  the  cost, 
in  time  and  money,  of  reaching  the  country  be  greatly 
reduced.  In  this  way  the  vast  extent  and  wonderful 
resources  of  the  whole  north  country  will  become  gen- 
erally known,  and  hundreds  of  thousands  will  rush 
into  it,  not  only  to  dig  gold,  but  to  produce  bread 
and  m.eat  from  the  broad  fertile  plains,  valleys  and 
prairies,  to  exchange  for  it. 

It  is  difficult  for  one  who  has  traveled  extensively  in 
this  great  golden  north  land  to  write  in  what  those  ig- 
norant of  its  character  will  concede  to  be  conservative 
terms.    The  natural  history  surveyors  of  the  United 


GOLD  AND  COLONIZATION. 


States  and  Canada,  who  are  best  acquainted  with  the 
capabilities  of  the  north,  persist  in  making  their  re- 
ports in  what  those  who  have  never  visited  the  country 
characterize  as  extravagant  terms. 

It  is  left  for  the  Hudson's  Bay  Company's  trading 
post  officials  to  speak  disparagingly  of  the  land.  They 
have  practiced  in  that  line  of  policy  for  more  than  three 
generations,  under  instructions  from  London,  in  order 
that  the  company  might  be  left  to  enjoy  a  monopoly 
of  the  fur  trade.  But  all  others  who  have  seen  the  won- 
derful north,  talk  of  its  resources  in  words  of  irre- 
pressible enthusiasm.  It  is  impossible  for  them  to  do 
otherwise. 

Gold  discoveries  have  led  to  the  settlement  and  de- 
velopment of  many  countries.  The  great  cereal  and 
fruit  resources  of  California  would  probably  have  re- 
mained unknown  for  one  or  two  generations  longer 
than  they  did,  had  it  not  been  that  the  discovery  of  rich 
deposits  of  the  yellow  metal  attracted  an  army  of  pros- 
pectors thither  in  1849. 

In  the  Golden  North  the  early  history  of  California 
is  repeating  itself  on  more  than  one  line.  Thousands 
will  become  wealthy  in  the  diggings  of  the  Klondike 
and  the  creek  and  gulch  regions  of  the  upper  Yukon 
and  the  Mackenzie,  but  many  hundreds  of  thousands 
will  find  happy  homes  of  peace  and  plenty  in  the  vast 
agricultural  and  stock  raising  valleys,  and  on  the  fer- 
tile plains  and  prairies  of  the  wonderful  north  land,  as 
a  result  of  information  concerning  the  resources  of  that 
country  which  the  gold  hunters  are  sure  to  disseminate. 
Without  this  agency  the  resources  of  the  north  would 
probably  remain  a  sealed  book  for  an  indefinite  period. 

Indeed  the  thoughtful  reader  will  ask,  what  means 
this  wild  clanging  of  the  Klondike  bells?  Is  it  the  vel- 
low  dust  tnat  is  being  washed  from  bars  and  banks  of 
river  and  gulch? 

Yes,  that  and  more. 

It  is  the  voice  of  the  mighty  north  calling  to  the 
over-crowded  and  depressed  centers  of  population  in 


i 


■"■wi 


8 


THE  GOLDEN  NORTH. 


hemisphere?  '^^^  ^^'^"^^^  the  pohtical  map  of  a 

The  voice  of  th^  l^i^   jm 

class  bell  of  the  WordWJn,"^^''"  ''S^'ded  as  the 
pie  to  the  study  of  a  „Tw%yoSl>;/^"-"&  "'^  P^" 
h/Ai,  T^  nation's  schoolmaster  h,''  °'  ^  "^^  ^oun- 
book  of  the  north,  and  the  1',,^^' "P^n^d  the  text- 
masses  are  to  lay  aside  their  fWl"^'  di^<^°ntented 
silver  restoration,  the  tolif  i  ^'^''^'■^  delusions  of 
operative  commonwealth     Th""'^'^^'  «"d  the  c^ 

-- ?"a-^  £^S  T" --« 
.r^"  ^or  each^  en"o'uVt  'alf.  ^^  ^^ 

ceas:To^:;;L^S-/°,t''e^r  Hgh  s^^^^^^^^^  They  will 
gnawed  bare,  and  wHl  fWtfnf  "'''  ''^^  already  be^n 
only  in  preciou,  metalfht""  ■?,•"' P^=t"'-«s,  rich  nw 
°f  bread  and  meat  '  ''"'  '"  '"'mitable  possibmt"es 

And  what  a  text-book! 

who  7^  zn^ix.f.r^ifr  ^^-"' '"-  those 

gradually  extending  her  mantTf  ^'!J  ^°^  "ature  is 

ArcL*l  '°'H  °f  *«  "orTh  totard^^"^  ^^&«^«°n 
Arctic  Sea.     Xhey  will  rp  ,.l  ,  *i  j  ^  ""^  chores  of  the 

pole  and  a  slow  but  oortl,  ^""^  '^''^^w  of  a  receding 
from  north  to  sotuh  nl  ■  '  !:^^°'"tion  of  the  lar^f 
boundary  of  the  onti^nent'"a1,  *f  "°"'^^™  baliS 
left  7o^^'= '"''^  ^'*  each  eentov    T  ''""'^^^^  >"'" 

.- t^pS  ^r  x'fe£--Xdfo^  -  ^^; 

>ng  from  the  rug-Jd  ,mnl^  ?^  ^^^""^  standing-  stretrh^ 
'°  five  testimonf  :'d  rdS^^^or  to  Beri„|  ^^  '^ 
°f  the,r  existence,  soi,  J^!^^^  brief  Penod 


GOLD  AND  COLONIZATION. 


Jdes  and 

ti  area  of 
s  in  this 
nap  of  a 

d  as  the 
he  peo- 
w  coun- 
he  text- 
•ntented 
sions  of 
the  co- 
pudiate 
ds,  and 
)ssesses 
forever 

ey  will 
J  been 
ch  not 
3ilities 


those 
Lire  is 
tation 
)f  the 
eding 
earth 
table 
niles 
o  be 
Bay 
tch- 
are 
riod 
and 


cereal  growth  have  come  to  them  from  the  south  and 
hJive  grown  up  around  them  on  the  once  barren  rocks. 

From  that  wonderful  text-book  of  the  north,  they 
are  to  realize  that  altitude  far  more  than  latitude  gov- 
erns thermal  conditions  of  the  Arctic  zone,  and  thai 
while  the  rocks,  mountains,  hills,  and  gulches  abound 
in  practically  inexhaustible  deposits  of  gold  and  other 
mineral  treasures,  the  valleys  and  plains  and  broad 
prairies  of  the  region  await  the  directing  touch  of  man 
to  yield  cereals  and  cattle  sufficient  to  glut  all  the  bread 
and  meat  markets  of  earth.  From  the  pages  of  that 
book  they  are  to  be  told  of  the  innumerable  herds  of 
sea-faring  mammals,  including  oil  and  fur-bearing 
seals,  walruses,  porpoises  and  whales,  from  the  prod- 
ucts of  which  two  hemispheres  may  be  abundantly 
supplied  with  oil,  hides,  bone  and  ivory;  and  they  will 
hear  of  the  millions  of  tons  of  the  best  salmon  caught  in 
any  waters,  and  of  all  the  many  other  resources  of  the 
rugged  land  so  well  calculated  to  yield  brain  and  mus- 
cle and  wealth  to  all  who  will  go  up  to  inhabit  its 
mighty  basins  and  treasure-bearing  summits. 

Before  a  dozen  pages  of  that  wonderful  text-book 
of  the  north  are  gone  over  and  understood,  thousands 
and  hundreds  of  thousands  will  flock  to  that  land 
"flowing  v.'ith  milk  and  honey,"  hitherto  hidden  from 
immigration  and  yet  hard  by  our  doors.  Gold  is  there 
in  abundance,  but  resources  of  even  greater  intrinsic 
value  are  there,  and  these  will  eventually  outweigh  the 
importance  of  the  gold. 

And  all  this  is  but  another  stride  in  the  northwest- 
ward progress  of  man. 

The  world's  march  of  commerce,  and  science  and  skill 
In  errands  of  blessing  its  work  to  fulfill 
Moves  in  the  same  course,— northwesterly  still. 

The  directive  magnetic  force  that  controls  the  needle 
is  not  a  more  attractive  problem  than  is  the  unerring 
northwesterly  trend  of  human  progress.  Westward 
and  northward  have  been  the  matching  orders  until 


10 


THE  GOLDEN  NORTH. 


the  people  of  the  present  generation  must  look  south- 
ward and  eastward  for  the  homes  of  their  ancestors. 
The  greatest  deeds  have  always  been  performed  in 
high  latitude,  because  the  highest  habitable  latitudes 
produce  the  greatest  men.  And  yet,  strange  as  it  may 
appear,  the  north  is  always  underrated. 

Go  to  the  Eastern  hemisphere  for  examples  of  this. 
Half  a  century  before  Christ,  Caesar  concluded  a  series 
of  great  victories  in  the  northwest,  by  subjugating  the 
hardy  inhabitants  of  Britain;  but  this  was  regarded 
by  the  Romans  as  placing  the  Imperial  standard  on 
the  utmost  confines  of  the  north  rather  than  as  a  con- 
quest of  valuable  territory.  A  few  centuries  and  the 
island  camping-ground  of  the  Roman  Conqueror  be- 
came mistress  of  the  world.  Upon  those  northern 
shores  a  mighty  commerce  began  to  develop,  and  vast 
industrial  enterprises  grew  up,  until,  in  every  part  of 
the  earth,  England  was  hailed  as  the  greatest  nation 
under  the  sun.  But  there  was  no  prophet  to  foretell 
England's  greatness,  nor  was  there  anything  in  the 
general  appearance  of  the  country  to  attract  attention. 
Its  high  latitude  is  one  of  the  secrets  of  Britain's  im- 
portance. 

History  is  ever  repeating  itself,  and  the  political 
trane  ^rmations  of  the  old  world  may  yet,  to  a  great 
extent,  be  re-enacted  in  the  new.  Here  on  this  con- 
tinent the  trend  of  all  material  progress  is  northwest- 
erly. The  flow  of  immigration  is  northwesterly,  and 
the  Creator,  as  if  to  make  way  for  its  latest  advance, 
has  pushed  back,  as  it  were,  the  cold  of  the  sub-arctic 
regions  nearer  to  the  pole,  and  extended  the  vast  fer- 
tile belt  of  the  northern  temperate  zone  from  the  great 
lakes  to  the  head  waters  of  the  Mackenzie  and  the 
Yukon. 


VASTNESS  OF  THE  NORTH  LAND. 


II 


CHAPTER  II. 


VASTNESS  OP  THE  NORTH  LAND. 

Its  mighty  river  systems  and  basins— Basin  of  the  Yukon 
— The  wonderful  Peace  River  country— Fertile  plains 
and  prairies  extending  up  to  the  64th  parallel — The 
great  plains  of  the  Saskatchewan  basin — The  Churchill 
country  and  the  basins  of  James'  and  Ungava  Bay. 

In  order  to  form  a  correct  idea  of  the  extent  of  the 
north  country,  it  will  be  advisable  to  briefly  glance  at 
the  whole  continental  plain  which  stretches  north  and 
south  between  the  Gulf  of  Mexico  and  the  Arctic 
Ocean.  This  plain  is  bounded  on  the  west  by  the 
Rocky  Mountains  throughout  its  whole  extent,  and 
on  the  east  side  by  a  less  elevated  plateau  known  aF 
the  Appalachian  Range.  This  great  plain  occupies 
the  whole  of  the  continent  between  the  western  and 
eastern  mountain  ranges,  and  in  the  far  north  it  broad- 
ens, stretching  from  the  western  shoi  s  of  Hudson's 
Bay  and  James'  Bay  to  the  head  waters  of  the  Macken- 
zie and  the  Yukon,  where  the  mountain  passes  do  not 
reach  an  elevation  of  more  than  from  i,ooo  to  2,500 
feet.  This  vast  plain  is  divided  by  its  river  system  into 
three  perfectly  distinct  drainage  basins.  One  drains  to 
the  south  into  the  Gulf  of  Mexico ;  another  into  the  At- 
lantic by  the  channel  of  the  great  river  St.  Lawrence ; 
and  the  third,  north  into  the  arctic  and  sub-arctic 
waters. 

Of  these  three  great  basins  that  of  the  St.  Lawrence 
is  decidedly  the  smallest,  while  the  northern  is  larger 
than  the  other  two  together.  The  St.  Lawrence  basin, 
divided  by  the  boundary  between  the  United  States 
and  Canada,  occupies  part  of  both  countries.  The 
southern  basin  is  wholly  in  the  United  States,  while  a 


■^^^ 


II i.'PW  l,Jl«-l'#  !  ,iJ«lf  ipFf  Jl'-'.l"*vl|iipi'.-' 


12 


THE  GOLDEN  N0I(TH. 


J 


greater  portion  of  the  northern  basin  is  in  British 
Canadian  territory. 

The  north  and  south  basins  are  separated  by  the 
49th  parallel  of  latitude,  which  in  addition  to  marking 
the  international  boundary  line  between  central  Cana- 
da and  the  United  States,  runs  along  very  close  to  what 
is  known  as  the  watershed.  It  will  thus  be  seen  that 
the  great  contin1&ntal  plain  of  North  America  is  divided 
naturally  as  well  as  politically  near  its  center. 

Our  attention  must  be  confined  to  the  northern 
basin,  or  basins,  for  the  region  is  physically  subdi- 
vided by  several  extensive  river  systems.  Beginning 
at  the  western  coast  of  Alaska,  we  have  first  the  Yukon 
basin,  which  is  over  2,000  miles  long,  extending  up 
into  the  Canadian,  northwest  from  the  141st  degree 
to  considerably  beyond  the  130th,  until  its  upper 
waters  interlock  with  those  of  the  upper  Mackenzie 
River,  on  the  summit  of  the  northern  Rockies.  This 
vast  area  of  the  Yukon,  consisting  of  about  400,000 
square  miles,  or  nearly  the  whole  of  Alaska,  is  a  rug- 
ged, mountainous,  snowbound  country,  which  will  be 
more  fully  described  later  on. 

Crossing  the  mountains  through  any  of  the  passes 
between  the  55th  and  65th  parallels,  we  come  to  per- 
haps the  largest  and  most  fertile  subdivision  of  the 
great  northern  basin,  known  as  the  Peace  River  coun- 
try. This  vast  area  is  drained  by  the  Peace  and  Atha- 
basca rivers  and  their  numerous  tributaries,  flowing 
into  Lake  Athabasca,  which  is  only  400  feet  above  the 
level  of  the  sea;  and  by  the  Peace  River  and  its  nu- 
merous tributaries  stretching  far  up  into  the  moun- 
tains, flowing  also  into  Lake  Athabasca;  by  the  Great 
Slave  River,  flowing  from  Lake  Athabasca  into  Great 
^ave  Lake  at  Fort  Resolution ;  and  by  the  Mackenzie 
River,  the  Mountain  River  and  the  many  branches 
which  flow  into  it.  This  mighty  valley,  comprising 
the  largest  area  of  cereal  and  stock-producing  lands  in 
one  body  to  be  found  anywhere  in  the  world,  has  an 
elevation  above  sea  level  from  400  to  1,500  feet,  and 


VASTNESS  OF  THE  NORTH  LAND. 


13 


enjoys  a  climate  equal  in  all  respects  to  that  of  Mary- 
land, although  of  course  its  winters  are  longer,  and  its 
summers  are  shorter  as  to  number  of  days,  but  not  as 
to  aggregate  number  of  hours  of  sunshine.  This  al- 
most illimitable  territory,  rich  beyond  description  in 
agricultural,  fruit,  and  meat-producing  resources,  lies 
between  the  55th  and  64th  parallels  of  latitude  and  the 
105th  and  1 20th  degrees  of  longitude,  and  comprises 
nearly  500,000  square  miles.  This  great  plain,  prairie, 
or  park  country,  is  but  slightly  timbered,  although 
there  are  forests  of  considerable  growth  all  along  the 
foot-hills  of  the  Rocky  Mountains  which  are  every- 
where penetrated  by  the  creeks  and  tributary  streams 
of  the  upper  Mackenzie,  the  Peace  and  the  Athabasca 
rivers.  According  to  the  reports  of  the  natural  his- 
tory surveys  of  the  Canadian  Dominion,  there  are  as 
rich  gold  deposits  on  the  eastern  slopes  of  the  Rockies 
in  the  quartz  formation  and  river  banks  and  bars  of 
the  upper  western  branches  of  the  Mackenzie  as  on  the 
western  slope  in  the  Klondike  region. 

Passing  from  the  Peace  River  country  southeast- 
ward, we  come  to  the  higher  plain,  almost  as  extensive, 
of  the  north  and  south  branches  of  the  Saskatchewan 
and  the  Battle  and  Deer  rivers,  which  are  located  be- 
tween them,  and  the  Saskatchewan  itself,  from  the  con- 
fluence of  the  two  principal  branches  to  Lake  Winni- 
peg. The  Saskatchewan  system  of  rivers,  which  drain 
the  basin  between  Lake  Winnipeg  and  the  Rocky 
Mountains,  aggregate  an  almost  incredible  length. 
The  country  has  an  elevation  above  sea  level  of  from 
900  to  4,000  feet  and  is  quite  heavily  tirr*^?red  not  only 
in  the  neighborhood  of  Lake  Winnipeg  but  along  the 
foot-hills  of  the  Rockies  and  on  the  borders  of  most 
of  the  streams,  especially  in  the  •  more  northerly  and 
westemly  districts.  This  area  of  cereal  and  stock-sus- 
taining -country  lies  between  the  49th  and  55th  paral- 
lels of  latitude  and  between  the  90th  and  115th,  and 
farther  to  the  north,  120th  degrees  of  longitude,  and 
comprises  about  500,000  square  miles.     This  region  is 


14 


THE  GOLDEN  NORTH. 


already  quite  well  known  and  is  being  rapidly  settled 
and  developed  both  as  to  its  agricultural  and  stock- 
raising  capabilities.  It  includes  the  province  of  Mani- 
toba and  the  territories  of  Kewatin,  Saskatchewan,  As- 
siniboia,  and  Alberta.  The  territory  of  Athabasca  lies 
to  the  north  of  Alberta  at  the  threshold  of  the  great 
Peace  River  country,  which  is  yet  unsettled,  and  of 
course  undeveloped  in  any  way.  Our  knowledge  of 
that  extensive  territory  is  derived  from  traveling 
through  it,  and  from  reports  and  meteorological  data 
gathered  and  given  out  by  Hudson's  Bay  trading-post 
officials. 

There  is  a  smaller  basin,  practicailly  within  and  be- 
tween the  two  great  districts  mentioned,  lying  to  the 
north  of  the  latter  and  to  the  west  of  the  former.  This 
is  the  basin  of  the  Churchill,  flowing  from  Reindeer 
Lake  to  Hudson's  Bay.  There  are  a  large  number  of 
Hudson's  Bay  trading  posts  in  this  territory,  and  from 
the  reports  of  those  in  charge  of  them,  we  learn  that 
while  a  century  ago  there  were  no  forests  bordering 
any  of  the  lakes  and  rivers  thereabouts,  there  is  now 
well  developed  tamara-c  ranging  from  five  to  fifteen 
inches  in  diameter  extending  almost  down  to  Fort 
Churchill  on  the  western  shores  of  Hudson's  Bay. 

The  outlet  for  the  drainage  of  the  great  Saskatche- 
wan country  from  Lake  Winnipeg  to  Hudson's  Bay  is 
by  way  of  the  Nelson,  the  Hayes,  and  the  Severn  riv- 
ers, the  first  and  the  last  being  about  550  miles  in 
length  and  the  second  finding  its  way  into  the  northern 
waters  of  Lake  Winnipeg  at  Norway  House  through 
a  series  of  smaller  lakes  to  the  northwest.  This  coun- 
try between  Lake  Winnipeg  and  the  Hudson's  Bay  is 
all  pretty  heavily  timbered,  both  the  soil  and  the  for- 
ests having  been  largely  developed  within  the  last 
century. 

There  is  another  basin  in  the  north  drained  by  the 
rivers  flowing  into  James'  Bay,  the  Albany,  the  Moose 
and  the  Abittibi  being  the  principal  streams,  some  of 


VASTNESS  OF  THE  NORTH  LAND. 


15 


them  reaching  nearly  as  far  south  as  Lake  Superior. 
This  section  is  heavily  timbered. 

Eastward  from  the  east-main  coast  of  Hudson's  Bay 
and  extending  half  way  across  the  great  peninsula  be- 
tween that  inland  sea  and  the  Labrador  coast  is  another 
vast  basin  drained  by  the  Whale,  Big  and  East  Main 
rivers.  This  basin  is  all  heavily  timbered  with  tama- 
rac  as  far  north  as  the  53d  parallel  of  north  latitude, 
and  is  said  to  contain  rich  mineral  deposits  consisting 
of  gold  and  copper.  There  is  stil'  another  basin  far- 
ther to  the  eastward,  drained  by  the  Ungava  and 
Whale  rivers,  which  flow  into  Ungava  Bay  at  Fort 
Chimo.  Near  the  mouth  of  the  Ungava  River,  in  the 
Laurentian  formation,  there  are  mountains  of  pure 
mica,  suflficiently  extensive,  perhaps,  to  supply  the 
whole  world  with  that  commodity.  The  streams  flow- 
ing into  Ungava  Bay  are  filled  with  salmon  of  the  very 
finest  quality,  and  for  several  years  back  two  refrigera- 
tor steamers  have  been  plying  between  these  waters 
and  the  English  metropolis  in  the  salmon  trade.  It  is 
a  remarkable  fact  that  with  the  traps  used  to  catch 
these  valuable  fish,  a  moderate  sized  steamship  can  be 
loaded  in  a  single  tide.  This  basin  is  also  heavily  tim- 
bered. The  upper  portion  of  it  has  been  so  for  many 
years  back ;  and  the  lower  portion,  extending  down  to 
Fort  Chimo,  has  begun  to  produce  timber  within  the 
last  three-quarters  of  a  century. 

In  addition  to  the  extensive  areas  mentioned,  there 
are  Southern  Alaska  and  British  Columbia.  Both  pos- 
sess vast  resources  in  gold,  coal,  and  on  agricultural 
lines. 

From  these  observations  the  reader  must  have  ac- 
quired a  pretty  good  idea  of  the  vast  extent  of  the 
north  country.  We  have  already  given  the  boundaries 
of  an  area  nearly  as  large  as  the  whole  of  the  United 
States,  and  contained  within  it  are  1,250,000  square 
miles  of  the  most  fertile  and  productive  park  prairie 
and  plain  region  to  be  found  anywhere  on  the  face  of 
the  earth.    The  elevations  of  this  rich  plain  range  from 


.tit- 


__lgl____ 


■iaiiiiiiliilii 


ii 
I 


k 


i6 


THE  GOLDEN  NORTH. 


400  to  4,ocx)  feet  above  sea  level,  the  lowest  winter 
temperatures  prevailing  on  the  highest  latitudes,  and 
the  highest  temperature  readings  during  the  same  sea- 
son are,  of  course,  found  in  the  greatest  depressions. 
Most  of  this  vast  territory  is  favorably  affected  by  the 
Chinook  winds  Avhich  find  their  way  through  all  the 
passes  of  the  Rockies  north  of  tht  53d  parallel,  and 
especially  into  the  Peace  River  countiy,  greatly  im- 
proving the  winter  climate.  The  cold  is  very  great  in 
the  southwestern  portions  of  this  plain  where  the 
elevations  are  from  2,500  to  4,000  feet,  and  the  cattle 
on  the  ranches  in  that  neighborhood  have  to  be  well 
sheltered  during  most  of  the  winter.  But  in  the  far 
north,  in  the  neighborhood  of  Lake  Athabasca,  and 
still  farther  north  to  Fort  Simpson  on  the  Mackenzie 
River,  which  is  only  750  feet  above  the  level  of  the  sea, 
sunshine  snow-storms  are  common  and  the  snow  melts 
almost  as  fast  as  it  falls.  In  this  region  cattle  may 
roam  at  large,  winter  and  summer,  without  shelter  of 
any  kind.  The  hay  cures  on  the  stem  and  the  pastur- 
age is  better  in  December,  January  and  February  than 
during  any  other  months  of  the  year.  But  of  the  cli- 
mate and  resources  of  this  vast  north  country,  v/e 
shall  speak  more  in  detail  hereafter. 


Ill 

I 

I 


TRADING  FOSTS  OF  THE  NORTH, 


17 


CHAPTER  III 

TRADING  POSTS  OF  THE  NORTH. 

Trails  across  the  continent  in  the  sub- Arctic  belt — Many 
that  have  been  traveled  for  a  hundred  and  fifty  years — 
Short  cut  to  the  gold  fields  of  the  Klondike  from  Ed- 
monton via  Lake  Athabaska  and  the  Upper  Mackenzie — 
The  quicker  and  cheaper  route — Lis  of  Northern  trad- 
ing stations— Hints  on  map  study. 

It  is  already  well  understood  by  the  reader  that  the 
object  of  this  volume  is  to  provide  an  accurate  account 
of  the  vast  extent  of  territory  and  rich  resources  of  the 
Golden  North.  The  foregoing  chapters  shed  some 
light  upon  the  vast  area  and  physical  features  of  the 
country.  It  may  now  be  observed  that  there  is  an  im- 
portant sense  in  which  this  whole  North  Land  has 
been  settled,  though  not  to  any  extent  developed,  dur- 
ing a  period  reaching  back  to  the  middle,  and  beyond 
it,  of  the  eighteenth  century.  There  is  a  chain  of  trad- 
ing posts  belonging  to  the  Hudson's  Bay  Company 
extending  from  the  Atlan  ic  to  the  eastern  borders  of 
Alaska,  and  covering  the  whole  belt  of  territory  lying 
between  the  55th  parallel  and  the  Arctic  Circle;  and 
in  Alaska,  covering  the  whole  of  that  territory,  there 
are  similar  trading  posts  under  the  control  of  Ameri- 
can companies. 

For  more  than  one  hundred  and  fifty  years  these 
trading  stations  have  been  supplied  from  three  points, 
namely :  Fort  Garry,  near  the  mouth  of  the  Red  River, 
York  Factory,  and  Fort  Churchill  on  the  western 
shores  of  Hudson's  Bay.  Supplies  for  the  trading 
posts  in  Alaska  have  for  many  years  been  distributed 
from  St.  Michaels  by  way  of  the  Yukon  and  from  Sitka 
for  those  in  the  Southern  Alaskan  district.  From  the 
points  named  the  products  of  the  northern  region  have 


i8 


THE  GOLDEN  NORTH. 


I 

i 


i' 


I 


i 


been  shipped  to  foreign  markets.  These  products 
formerly  consisted  of  valuable  furs,  reindeer  tongues, 
oil  from  the  marine  mammals,  ivory  from  the  walrus, 
fish,  and  other  commodities.  At  one  time  this  trade 
was  carried  on  very  extensively,  but  of  late  years  it 
has  dwindled  away,  in  some  portions  of  the  north,  to 
almost  nothing.  A  little  over  thirty  years  ago  the 
Hudson's  Bay  Company  sold  its  interests  in  the  North 
country  to  the  Canadian  Government,  reserving  cer- 
tain portions  of  the  lands,  and  it  has  since  that  time  be- 
come quite  as  much  interested  in  the  colonization  and 
development  of  the  country — in  order  to  realize  from 
its  landed  interests — as  it  is  in  the  fur  trade. 

The  Hudson's  Bay  Company  still  maintains  about 
one  hundred  and  seventy-five  trading  posts  in  the  belt 
mentioned,  and  it  is  interesting  to  note  that  there  are 
trails,  well  known  to  Indian  and  Esquimo  runners, 
and  hunters,  p'A  to  the  Hudson's  Bay  trading  post 
officials,  leading  from  one  to  another  of  these  little 
marts  of  trade,  throughout  the  entire  region.  For  in- 
stance: One  may  leave  Fort  Churchill  on  the  western 
shore  of  Hudson's  Bay  and  travel  by  way  of  Reindeer 
Lake  up  the  Churchill,  across  to  Lake  Athabasca, 
thence  to  Great  Slave  Lake,  down  the  Mackenzie 
River  to  Fort  Simpson,  across  the  country  through 
one  oi  the  passes  of  the  Rockies  to  the  '  ead  waters  of 
the  Yukon,  and  Cown  that  river  to  St.  ivlichaels,  over 
a  route  which  has  been  known  and  traveled  more  than 
,a  century  and  a  half.  Again,  one  may  leave  Edmon- 
ton, on  the  north  branch  of  the  Saskatchewan  River, 
at  the  most  northern  extension  of  the  Canadian  Pacific 
Railway,  and  follow  a  well  known  trail  across  the 
height  of  land,  thence  to  Athabasca  River,  and  across 
it  to  the  south  shores  of  Little  Slave  Lake,  thence 
northwestward  to  Landing  at  the  confluence  of  the 
Smoky  and  Peace  rivers,  thence  by  way  of  the  Peace 
River,  the  Pine  River  pass,  and  down  the  Skeena  to 
Port  Simpson  on  the  Pacific  coast;  or,  from  the  con- 
fluence (l  zhG  Peace  and  Smoky  rivers,  northwest- 


w 


TRADING  POSTS  OF  THE  NORTH. 


19 


ward  to  the  upper  Mackenzie  and  across  it  through 
any  of  the  convenient  passes  of  1:h.  ^->wer  Rocky  Moun- 
tain ranges  of  the  far  north  to  he  Klondike  country, 
and  in  all  of  these  journeys  he  will  foliow  trails  which 
have  been  well  known  and  constantly  traveled  for  more 
than  a  century. 

By  the  way,  it  is  the  belief  of  many  who  have  trav- 
eled extensively  in  the  far  northwest  country,  that  the 
better  and  less  expensive  way  of  reaching  the  gold 
fields  of  the  upper  Yukon  and  Mackenzie  rivers  is  to 
go  by  rail  to  Edmonton,  and  thence  along  one  of  the 
trails  leading  overland  to  any  of  the  mountain  passes 
which  extend  across  the  pkteau  from  the  southwest 
branches  of  the  Mackenzie  to  the  southeast  tributa- 
ries of  the  Yukon,  of  which  the  Klondike  is  one.  Cer- 
tainly this  route  can  be  covered  in  as  shori:  a  time  as 
either  that  by  Juneau  or  the  Yukon,  while  on  the  other 
hand,  the  expense  of  transporting  supplies  will  not  be 
nearly  as  great  as  by  any  of  the  Pacific  routca. 

The  Hudson's  Bay  trading  posts  of  the  whole  North 
country,  including  the  trading  stations  of  Alaska,  con- 
stitute an  important  feature  of  that  region,  The  trav- 
eler in  any  of  the  overland  routes  always  journeys  from 
one  trading  post  to  another  and  follows  a  well  defined 
trail.  He  may  not  always  be  able  to  purchase  sup- 
plies at  these  stations  in  large  quantities,  but  the  posts 
are  generally  pretty  well  stocked,  and  those  in  charge 
of  them  are  noted  for  liberality  in  extending  relief  and 
shelter  and  assistance  to  persons  going  through  the 
country.  Our  knowledge  of  the  North  is  largely  due 
to  the  existence  of  these  trading  stations,  and  to  the 
information  carried  to  them  by  Indian  and  Esquimo 
huntt  rs  and  traders. 

It  will  be  an  interesting  and  instructive  exercise  for 
the  reader  to  lay  before  him  a  reliable  map  of  the  North 
country  and  to  locate  thereon  the  following  list  of 
Hudson's  Bay  trading  posts,  which  comprise  all,  ex- 
cept temporary  winter  stations,  from  the  Atlantic  to 
Rampart  House,  located  just  above  the  Arctic  circle 


'WmW- 


20 


THE  GOLDEN  NORTH. 


near  the  international  boundary  line  between  the  Cana- 
dian northwest  and  Alaska: 


Fort  Chippewayan. 
Fort  McMurray. 
Fond  du  Lac. 
Red  River. 
Fort  Vermillion. 
Fort  Smith. 
Fort  Resolution. 
Fort  Dunvegan. 
Fort  St.  John's. 
Hudson's  Hope. 
Battle  River. 
Lesser  Slave  Lake. 
Whitefish  Lake. 
Grand  Prairie. 
Fort  Simpson. 
Rampart  House. 
Lapierre's  House. 
Wabigoon. 
Whitefish  Bay. 
White  Dog  (Lake  Win- 
nipeg). 
Trout  Lake. 
Seine  River. 
North- West  Angle. 
Norway  House. 
Nelson  River. 
Behrens  River. 
Grand  Rapid. 
Poplar  River. 
Oxford  House. 
Island  Lake. 
York  Factory. 
Severn. 

Trout  Lake  (Keewatin). 
Churchill. 
Winnipeg. 


Lower  Fort  Garry. 

Doghead. 

Fort  Alexander. 

Indian  Settlement. 

Portage  la  Prairie. 

Isle  a  la  Crosse. 

Portage  la  Loche. 

Green  Lake(English  River). 

Souris  River. 

Cumberland  House. 

Moose  Lake. 

Pas. 

Pelican  Narrows. 

Lac  du  Brochets. 

Rapid  River. 

Grand  Rapids. 

Calgary. 

Edmonton. 

Lac  la  Biche. 

Jasper  Hoi'se. 

Lac  Ste.  Anne's. 

Victoria. 

Battle  River. 

Peel's  River. 

Fort  Good  Hope. 

Fort  Liard. 

Fort  Nelson. 

Fort  Providence. 

Fort  Rae. 

Fort  Norman. 

Nut  Lake. 

Manitoba  House. 

Fairford. 

Waterhen  River. 

Shoal  River. 

Duck  Bay. 


TRADING  POSTS  OF  THE  NORTH. 


ai 


Rat  Portage. 
Fort  Frances. 
Lac  Seul. 
Ekgle  Lake. 
Prince  Albert. 
Carleton  House. 
Battleford. 
South  Branch. 
Fort  Pitt. 
Turtle  Lake. 
Fort  a  la  Corne. 
Frog  Lake. 
Fort  Qu'Appelle. 
Fort  Ellice. 
Riding  Mountain. 
Fort  Pelly. 
Russell. 

Touchwood  Hills. 
Egg  Lake. 
Cariboo. 
Barkerville. 
Quesnel. 
New  Caledonia. 
Stuart's  Lake. 
Skeena. 
Eraser's  Lake. 
Babine. 

Conolly's  Lake. 
Fort  George. 
McLeod's  Lake. 
Montreal. 
Michipicoten. 
Aquawah  River. 
Pic. 

Nepigon  House. 
Long  Lake. 
Red  Rock. 
Lake  Missanabie. 
Sand  Lake. 


Pine  Portage. 

La  Cloche. 

Whitefish  Lake  (Huron). 

Mississaque. 

Green  Lake  (Huron). 

Wahnapitaeping. 

Pagamasing. 

Mattawa. 

Temiscaminque. 

Hunter's  Lodge. 

Grand  Lake. 

Barriere. 

Trout  Lake. 

Totogan. 

Pembina. 

Oak  Point. 

Moose  P'actory. 

Albany. 

Henley. 

English  River. 

Marten's  Falls. 

Osnaburgh. 

Rupert's  House. 

Woswonaby. 

Mechiskim. 

Mustassing. 

Nichequon. 

Eastmain. 

Fort  George. 

Great  Whale  River. 

Little  Whale  River. 

Fort  Trial. 

Long  Portage. 

Kinoqumisse. 

Matawagaminque. 

Natachewan. 

New  Brunswick. 

Victoria. 

Massett. 


p  I 


i 


I 


m 


r  ill. 


22 


THE  GOLDEN  NORTH. 


Hazelton. 

Fort  Langley. 

Fort  Hope. 

Fort  Yale. 

Kamloops. 

Thompson's  River. 

Temagiminque. 

Nepissinque. 

Abittibi. 

Winawaya. 

Weymoutachinque. 

Coocache. 

Kickendach. 


Miginoman. 
Pointe  Blin. 
Bersamis. 
Seven  Islands. 
Moisie. 
Mungan. 
Musquarro. 
Rigolet. 

North-West  River. 
Davis  Inlet. 
Nachoak. 
Fort  Chimo. 
George's  River. 


One  may  obtain  a  vast  deal  of  information  as  to  the 
character  and  extent  of  the  countr)^  from  a  carefully 
prepared  map,  but  in  the  matter  of  distances  there  are 
some  lessons  in  mathematical  geography  with  which 
the  reader  should  be  familiar  before  beginning  his  map 
studies.  One  is  always  inclined  to  measure  dista^ices 
upon  a  spherical  map  by  the  degrees  of  latitude  and 
longitude  marked  thereon.  This,  however,  will  prove 
a  very  misleading  procedure  unless  the  map  st'  dent 
is  sufficiently  acquainted  with  the  decrease  in  the 
length  of  the  degrees  of  longitude  on  different  paral- 
lels of  latitude.  For  instance:  the  length  of  a  degree 
of  longitude  on  the  equator  is  69.16  statute  miles, 
whereas,  a  degree  of  longitude  in  latitude  42  is  51.47 
statute  miles.  Again,  a  degree  of  longitude  on  the 
6oth  parallel  is  but  34.67  statute  miles,  and  a  degree  of 
longitude  on  the  82nd  parallel  of  latitude  is  but  9.66 
statute  miles. 

The  question  of  distances  is  deeply  involved  in  a 
study  of  the  great  North,  and  for  the  benefit  of  the 
reader  and  student  of  this  volume  the  following  table 
of  lengths,  in  common  land  or  statute  miles  of  5,280 
feet  each,  of  a  degree  of  longitude  in  the  different  lati- 
tudes north  of  the  equator  is  here  presented: 


[>  i 


TRADING  POSTS  OF  THE  NORTH. 


Deg.  of  Lat. 
o. 


2. 

4. 

6. 

8. 
10. 
12. 
14. 
16. 
18. 
20. 
22. 
24. 
26. 
28. 
30. 
32. 
34. 
36. 
38. 
40. 


Stat.  Miles. 

69.16 

. . .  .69.12 

68.99 

68.78 

68.49 

....68.12 

67.66 

67.12 

66.50 

65.80 

65.02 

64.15 

63.21 

62.20 

61. II 

59-94 

58.70 

57.35 

56.01 

54.56 

53.05 


Deg.  of  Lat. 

42 

44 

46 

48 

50 

52 

54 

56 

58 

60 

62 

64 

66 

68 

70 

7'2 

74 

76 

78 

80 

82 


23 

Stat.  Miles 
...51.47 

...49.83 
. .  .48.12 

...46.36 

...44-54 
. .  .42.67 

...40.74 
...38.76 

...36.74 

...34.67 

...32.55 
...30.40 

.  ..28.21 

...25.98 

...23.72 

...21.43 

. .  .19.12 

...  16.78 

...14.42 

.  ..T3.05 
...    9-66 


The  above  table  will  be  useful  to  those  who  attempt 
to  determine  east  and  west  distances  on  a  map  from 
the  meridian  lines  of  longitude.  Of  course  the  de- 
grees of  latitude  are  always  of  the  same  length  no  mat- 
ter on  what  part  of  the  earth's  surface  the  parallels  are 
drawn. 


24 


THE  GOLDEN  NORTH. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

THE  YUKON  DISTRICT— ALASKA. 

From  Bering  Sea  to  the  junction  of  the  Pelly  and  Lewis 
rivers — Cereal,  vegetable  and  stock  capabilities — The 
forests  and  climate — Value  of  the  white  spruce. 

From  the  foregoing  general  observations  on  the 
North  country,  the  reader  is  now  prepared  to  take  up 
the  several  physical  divisions  mentioned  and  to  study 
them  more  carefully  as  to  character,  climate,  eleva- 
tions and  resources. 

First,  as  to  Alaska  and  that  portion  of  the  Canadian 
Northwest  north  of  the  6oth  parallel  and  east  of  the 
great  watershed  dividing  the  Yukon  and  Mackenzie 
River  systems.  This  interesting  stretch  of  country 
comprises  about  1,500,000  square  miles  and  is  physi- 
cally divided  into  three  principal  districts.  These  may 
be  called  the  Yukon  territory,  the  Aleutian  district  and 
the  Sitkan  district.  The  first,  which  is  the  more  north- 
ern territory,  is  bounded  on  the  south  by  the  Alaskan 
Mountains,  on  the  east  by  the  Rocky  Mountains  and 
by  the  6oth  parallel,  which  is  the  northern  boundary 
of  British  Columbia;  on  the  north  by  the  Arctic  Ocean 
and  on  the  west  by  Bering  Sea  and  Strait, 

The  Yukon  River  proper  extends  through  this  ter- 
ritory from  Bering  Sea  to  the  confluence  of  the  Pelly 
and  Lewis  rivers,  which  is  about  one  hundred  and 
fifty  miles  east  of  the  international  boundary  line,  and 
about  1,750  miles  from  its  mouth.  The  Pelly  and 
Lewis  rivers,  their  many  tributaries,  and  the  hundreds 
of  creeks  and  gulches  which  drain  the  mountain  re- 
gion into  these  tributary  streams,  throughout  this  im- 
mense gold-bearing  territory,  reach  out  over  500  miles 
further  to  the  east  from  their  junction,  and  cover  over 
400  miles  of  territory  north  and  south. 


THE  YUKON  DISTRICT— ALASKA. 


25 


The  character  of  the  country  of  the  Yukon  district 
proper  varies  from  low,  rolHng  and  somewhat  rocky 
hills,  usually  quite  easy  of  ascent,  to  broad  and  some- 
times marshy  plains,  extending  for  many  miles  on 
either  side  of  the  river,  especially  for  about  100  or  200 
miles  from  the  coast.  There  are  no  roads  leading 
from  the  mountains  and  uplands  down  to  this  great 
river,  and  but  few  well  defined  trails.  In  fact,  the 
river  itself  and  its  tributary  streams  constitute  the 
highways  of  the  country. 

The  rocks  along  the  Yukon  River  and  in  the  whole 
Yukon  district  below  the  junction  of  the  Pelly  and 
Lewis  rivers,  consist  for  the  most  part  of  conglomer- 
ate, sienite,  quartzite  and  sandstone.  From  the  con- 
fluence of  the  two  last  named  rivers  to  the  Rockies, 
quartzite  prevails.  This  formation  and  the  sands, 
gravel  and  dirt  overlaying  it,  are  generally  more  or 
less  auriferous,  or  gold-bearing. 

Over  a  very  large  extent  of  this  country,  except 
upon  the  summits  of  the  higher  elevations,  the  soil  is  a 
rich  alluvial,  composed  of  very  fine  sand,  mud  and 
vegetable  matter,  brought  down  by  the  river  and  form- 
ing deposits  of  a  considerable  depth. 

During  the  winter  seasons  frost  penetrates  the  soil 
to  the  depth  of  from  two  to  six  feet,  and  in  the  ma- 
jority of  situations  it  does  not  more  than  half  thaw 
out  during  the  summer  months.  This,  however,  is  due 
to  the  want  of  sufficient  drainage,  combined  with  the 
non-conductive  covering  of  moss  which  prevents  the 
hot  sun  of  midsurtimer  from  warming  the  surface  to 
any  considerable  depth.  In  locations  where  the  soil 
is  not  covered  with  this  moss,  and  where  the  drainage 
is  good,  as  in  the  extensive  areas  near  the  mouth  of 
the  river,  frost  is  generally  thawed  out  of  the  ground 
completely  during  the  warm  season. 

It  must  not  be  supposed,  however,  that  a  layer  of 
frozen  ground  below  the  surface,  say  two  or  three  feet 
thick,  is  destructive  to  cereal  or  vegetable  growth.  As 
a  matter  of  experience  in  Manitoba  and  the  Canadian 

8 


I'    i 


26 


THE  GOLDEN  NORTH. 


r 


Northwest,  east  of  the  Rockies,  such  has  been  found 
to  facilitate  the  growth  and  ripening  development  of 
cereals. 

There  are  along  the  banks  of  the  Yukon,  in  the 
neighborhood  of  Escholtz  Bay,  bluffs  or  banks  of  ap- 
parently solid  ice  fronting  the  water.  These  continu- 
ous banks  of  ice,  strange  to  say,  are  covered  with  a 
heavy  layer  of  soil  and  vegetable  matter,  where  herbs 
and  shrubs  flourish  with  a  luxuriance  only  equalled  in 
latitudes  more  than  two  thousand  miles  to  the  south- 
east. 

The  lesson  to  be  learned  from  these  facts  is  that 
heavy  and  luxuriant  vegetation  may  exist,  develop 
and  ripen  above  a  layer  of  frozen  ground  and  in  the 
immediate  vicinity  of  permanent  ice.  Hence  it  is 
proper  to  conclude  that  a  large  extent  of  territory  in 
Alaska,  even  in  this  Yukon  district,  long  considered 
valueless,  will  yet  furnish  not  oniy  to  the  trader  and 
fisherman,  but  also  to  the  farmer,  an  abundant  harvest. 

The  climate  of  the  interior  of  the  Yukon  district  dif- 
fers from  that  of  the  sea  coast,  where  the  temperature 
is  greatly  improved  by  the  vast  body  of  water  con- 
tained in  Bering  Sea,  and  by  the  many  currents  from 
the  south  bringing  warm  water  from  the  Pacific,  mak- 
ing the  winter  climate  of  an  extensive  region  of  the 
coast  much  milder  than  that  of  the  interior.  The  sum- 
mers, however,  owing  to  the  quantity  of  rain  and  pre- 
vailing cloudy  weather  of  the  coast,  are  cooler  and  less 
inviting  than  those  of  the  interior.  Near  the  coast,  the 
months  of  May  and  June  are  delightful,  being  sunny, 
warm  and  clear.  As  soon  as  the  snow  disappears,  and 
even  before  it  is  gone  from  the  summits  of  the  foot- 
hills, an  immense  growth  of  herbage  springs  up  very 
rapidly,  and  large  areas,  which  a  few  days  before  pre- 
sented nothing  but  a  white  sheet  of  snow,  are  teeming 
with  a  rapidly  developing  vegetation,  producing 
leaves,  flowers  and  fruits  in  rapid  succession. 

At  St.  Michaels,  on  the  coast  f  Norton  Sound,  in 
latitude  63.28;  at  the  Mission,  on  the  Yukon  River, 


If 


n 


THE  YUKON  DISTRICT— ALASKA. 


a; 


150  miles  from  its  mouth,  in  latitude  61.47;  ^t  Nulato, 
450  miles  further  up  the  river,  in  latitude  64.40;  and 
at  Fort  Yukon,  1,200  miles  from  the  mouth  of  the 
river  and  in  latitude  66.34,  the  mean  temperatures  for 
the  four  seasons  of  the  year  are  as  follows: 

Means  for      St.Michaels.  Mission.  Nulato.Ft.Yukon 

Spring 29.3        19.62        29.3        14.22 

Summer  53.0        59.32        60.0        59.67 

Autumn 26.3        36.05        36.0        17.37 

Winter  8.6  0.95    — 14.0    — 23.80 

Year " 29.3       26.48       27.8        16.92 

It  must  not  be  supposed,  however,  that  the  agri- 
cultural capabilities  of  Alaska  are  to  be  measured  by 
mean  temperatures  alone.  Much  depends  upon  the 
heat  of  the  summer  months,  the  duration  of  that  sea- 
son and  the  length  of  the  days  of  sunshine.  At  Fort 
Yukon  the  thermometer  often  rises,  at  noon,  not  in 
the  direct  rays  of  the  sun,  to  112  degrees  above  zero, 
and  in  some  instances  the  mercury  has  been  known  to 
rise  to  120.  It  is  almost  impossible  to  calculate  the 
rapid  growth  of  vegetation  under  these  conditions. 
In  mid-summer  on  the  upper  Yukon,  the  only  relief 
from  the  intense  heat,  under  which  the  vegetation  at- 
tains an  almost  tropical  luxuriance,  is  the  brief  space 
during  which  the  sun  hovers  just  under  the  northern 
horizon. 

The  annual  rainfall  of  this  district  is  quite  large,  but 
not  excessive,  while  the  snowfall  for  November  to  the 
end  of  April  will  average  from  three  to  six  feet  and 
sometimes  eight  feet,  although  in  the  district  of  the 
upper  Yukon,  or  territory  drained  by  the  Pelly  and 
Lewis  rivers  and  their  tributaries,  the  snowfall  ranges 
from  two  to  three  and  a  half  feet.  There  is  very  little 
snow  near  the  coast,  but  in  this  region  high  winds  pre- 
vail, while  in  the  interior  there  is  less  wind.  The 
whole  country  except  in  the  lower  valleys  is  well  tim- 


28 


THE  GOLDEN  NORTH. 


bered,  and  towards  spring  the  gullies  and  brush-wood 
are  well  filled  or  covered  up  with  snow,  and  transpor- 
tation with  dogs  and  sleds  is  easy  and  pleasant.  The 
warm  sun  at  noon  melts  the  surface  oi  the  snow,  which 
freezes  at  night  and  forms  a  hard  crust,  rendering 
snowshoes  almost  unnecessary.  The  rainfall  is  much 
greater  near  the  coast  than  it  is  in  the  intti  ior.  In  the 
months  of  May,  June  and  part  of  July,  it  is  bright  de- 
lightful weather  at  St.  Michaels,  and  all  along  the 
coast,  but  the  remainder  of  the  season,  or  for  four  days 
in  the  week,  at  least,  it  is  rainy,  until  October,  when 
the  north  winds  set  in,  bringing  fine  weather.  The 
valley  of  the  lower  Yukon  is  often  foggy  in  the  latter 
part  of  the  summer,  but  as  one  ascends  the  river  the 
climate  improves,  and  the  short  summer  at  Fort  Yu- 
kon is  always  dry,  hot,  but  pleasant  withal,  being 
varied  by  occasional  showers. 

The  largest  and  most  valuable  tree  found  in  the  dis- 
trict is  the  white  spruce,  which  abounds  over  the  whole 
country,  but  is  always  largest  in  the  vicinity  of  running 
streams.  This  tree  attains  a  height  of  from  fifty  to  one 
hundred  feet,  with  a  diameter  at  the  butt  of  from  three 
to  four  feet.  The  most  common  size,  however,  is 
thirty  or  forty  feet  high,  with  fourteen  or  eighteen 
inches  at  the  but^.  This  wood  is  white,  clear,  close 
and  straight-grained,  easily  worked,  light  and  yet  very 
tough.  It  is  to  be  greatly  preferred  over  the  Oregon 
pine.  For  spars  it  has  no  superior.  It  is  very  dura- 
ble and  many  houses  twenty  years  old,  built  of  this 
timber,  still  contain  a  majority  of  sound  logs.  These 
trees  decrease  in  size  and  grow  more  sparsely  as  one 
approaches  Fort  Yukon,  but  they  are  still  large  enough 
for  many  purposes.  The  northern  limit  of  this  tree  is 
about  66.44  north  latittide,  and  it  occupies  the  same 
place  in  the  physical  dev 'srpment  of  th-e  country  in 
Alaska  as  does  the  tamar^c  on  the  southern  and  west- 
ern basins  of  Hudson's  and  James'  bays.  In  the  in- 
terior of  Alaska  the  white  spruce  is  found  often  above 
the  70th  parallel,  and  as  in  the  north  country  to  the 


THE  YUKON  DISTRICT— ALASKA. 


29 


east  of  the  Rocky  Mountains,  the  forests  in  the  Yukon 
district  are  steadily  pushing  tlieir  advance  towards  the 
shores  of  the  Arctic  Ocean.  Forests  consisting  most- 
ly of  the  spruce  are  abundant  at  Fort  Yukon  in  lati- 
tude 66.34,  and  the  waters  of  the  Tananah  River  bring 
down  the  largest  logs  of  this  tree  in  the  spring  freshets. 
The  number  of  these  logs  annually  floated  down  the 
northern  Alaskan  rivers  is  almost  beyond  calculation. 
Freshets  prevail  in  the  rivers  for  about  three  weeks, 
and  although  the  period  of  their  duration  is  short,  suffi- 
cient is  brought  down  to  supply  the  demand  of  the 
Arctic  coast  and  Bering  Sea,  as  well  as  the  numerous 
islands.* 

The  tree  of  next  importance  in  the  forests  of  north- 
ern Alaska  is  the  birch,  which,  however,  rarely  grows 
over  eighteen  inches  in  diameter  and  forty  feet  in 
height.  The  wood  of  this  tree  is  hard  and  tough. 
The  treeless  coasts  of  the  territory,  as  well  as  the  low- 
lands of  the  Yukon,  are  covered  in  spring  with  a  most 
luxuria  ii:  growth  of  grass  and  flowers,  including  the 
well  known  Kentucky  bluegrass,  which  grows  luxur- 
iantly as  far  north  as  Kotzebue  Sound,  and,  to  some 
extent,  at  Port  Barrow.  The  wild  meadow  grass  is 
also  abundant  and  furnishes  good,  fattening  pasturage 
for  cattle.  The  blue-joint  grass  also  abounds,  and 
sometimes  grows  four  or  five  feet  in  height.  Its  av- 
erage is  three  feet. 

Grain  has  never  been  sown  to  any  extert  in  the 
Yukon  territory  until  within  the  last  few  years,  in 
which  tests  have  be€n  successfully  made  in  barley  and 
other  cereals.  Turnips  and  radishes  flourish,  and  cat- 
tle thrive,  but  require  shelter  during  the  long  winter 
months. 

The  agricultural  capabilities  of  the  Yukon  territory, 
though  not  great,  are  gradually  enlarging  and  improv- 
ing, and  will  be  utilized  to  the  great  advantage  of  the 
inhabitants  in  the  near  future. 

♦  Capt.  W.  H.  Doll. 


itfi* 


*:t 


MMUiUM 


ii 

t 


30 


THE  GOLDEN  NORTH. 


The  points  and  posts  of  interest  on  the  Yukon  from 
St.  Michaels  to  Fort  Selkirk,  at  the  junction  of  the 
Pelly  and  Lewis  rivers,  are:  Andreaf:.vi,  Cogmute, 
Koserefski,  Hamilton's  Lodge,  Nulato,  Weare,  Fort 
Yukon,  and  Circle  City. 


•  yi 


s 


i 

i  it 


m 


UPPER  YUKON  OR  KLONDIKE  REGION. 


31 


CHAPTER  y. 

UPPER  YUKON  OR  KLONDIKE  REGION. 

Auriferous  districts  lying  west  of  tlie  Mackenzie— Terri- 
tory is  duplicated  in  extent  and  gold  bearing  riches  on 
the  slopes  east  of  the  summit — Three  great  routes  to  the 
Klondike— Reasons  why  the  all-overland  route  will  be- 
come most  favored. 

We  now  come  to  consider  the  most  interesting  sub- 
division of  the  who'e  north  region,  the  upper  Yukon 
country — the  El  Dorado  of  our  hopes — that  vast  ex- 
tent of  country  stretching  away  from  the  confluence 
of  the  Lewis  and  Pelly  rivers  to  the  summit  of  the 
watershed  of  the  Mackenzie  River,  and  west  of  it  to 
Circle  City. 

This  is  the  Klondike. 

This  is  the  auriferous  land  where  gold  lies  hidden  in 
sand,  dirt,  gravel  and  quartz,  in  quantities  sufficiently 
great  to  enrich  half  the  pt  ?ple  of  this  nation. 

It  is  a  vast  country  tuo,  all  more  or  less  gold-bear- 
ing, containing  at  least  240,000  square  miles,,  and  yel- 
low metal  probably  to  the  extent  of  biUions  of  dollars 
in  value. 

And  let  it  be  stated  here  and  now  that  this  wonder- 
ful region  to  the  west  of  the  watershed  of  the  Macken- 
zie is  beyond  all  question  dupHcated,  both  in  extent 
and  gold-bearing  value,  on  the  eastern  slopes  of  the 
same  watershed  in  the  country  of  the  southwestern 
tributaries,  creeks  and  gulches  of  the  upper  Macken- 
zie River.  Only  a  small  corner  of  the  Klondike 
country  has  yet  been  explored.  There  are  hundreds 
of  river  branches,  creeks  and  gulches,  in  that  section 
yet  without  a  name,  and  unknown  to  the  hardy  miner- 
pioneer.  It 'will  no  doubt  consume  the  whole  of  1898 
to  complete  anything  like  a  perfect  exploration  of  this 
territory;  and  during  the  coming  eighteen  months  the 


THE  GOLDEN  NORTH. 


reader  may  be  prepared  to  heir  of  more  wonderful  dis- 
coveries of  gold,  in  both  placer  and  qupilz  mines,  in 
this  region,  than  have  yet  been  reported.  Not  only 
so,  but  the  mining  prospector  and  the  gold  hunter  will 
either  cross  the  watershed  of  the  Mackenzie,  and  de- 
veiup  the  rich  gold  fields  of  the  more  eastern  district, 
or  enter  it  overland  by  way  of  the  northwest  trails 
from  Edmonton.  The  data  at  hand,  including  the 
writer's  own  observations  in  that  country,  fully  justify 
the  statement  that  there  is  just  as  much  gold  east  of  the 
watershed  as  there  is  west  of  it.  This  a^  plies  not  only 
to  the  far  north,  but  to  the  more  southerly  areas  in 
northern  British  Columbia  south  of  the  6oth  parallel. 
This  statement  is  supported  by  the  natural  history  sur- 
vey reports  of  the  Canadian  Government  as  well  as 
the  information  gained  by  explorers  and  surveyors 
sent  out  from  time  to  time  under  the  auspices  of  the 
Department  of  the  Interior  of  the  Dominion  Govern-, 
ment. 

The  gold-bearing  district  on  the  eastern  slopes  of  the 
Mackenzie  and  Yukon  watershed  contains  an  area  of 
250,000  square  miles,  and  like  its  neighboring  district 
on  the  slopes  west  of  the  summit  it  is  not  only  richly 
gold-bearing,  but  contains  inexhaustible  deposits  of 
silver  and  coal. 

It  is  probably  idle  at  this  time  to  attempt  to  forecast 
the  future  of  this  wonderful  region,  but  it  may  be  said 
that  the  paying  gold  discoveries  which  have  already 
been  made  cannot  possibly  yield  up  all  their  treasure 
in  a  few  months  and  be  forgotten,  nor  give  way  to 
something  more  interesting  in  any  near  future.  On 
the  contrary,  one  is  warranted  in  the  belief  that  the  five 
or  ten  thousand  gold  hunters  now  in  that  territory  will 
be  increased  to  fifty  or  one  hundred  thousand  in  1898, 
and  possibly  to  two  hundred  thousand  before  the  close 
of  the  present  century. 

The  vast  cereal,  vegetable,  stock-raising  and  dairy 
possibilties  of  the  alluvial  plains  which  lie  on  the  one 
hand  ir:  the  mighty  valleys  eastward  of  the  auriferous 


'^ 


■»■'*,  (p 


34 


T^IE  GOLDEN  NORTH. 


slopes  on  thi£>  side  the  great  watershed,  and  on  the 
Alaskan  lowlands  to  the  west,  will  in  a  short  time  be 
sufficiently  developed  to  abundantly  supply  all  the  gold, 
silver  and  coal  diggers  that  may  go  into  the  mining 
disiricts.  Hence  it  will  not  always  be  necessary  to 
transport  supplies,  at  the  jst  of  two  or  three  times 
their  value,  Trom  southeastern  markets,  to  support  the 
treasure  hunters  of  the  north.  The  time  is  not  far  dis- 
tant when  the  adjacent  fertile  plains  will  produce  all 
that  will  be  necessary,  and  the  miner  will  be  required 
to  transport  from  eastern  markets  only  tools  and  im- 
plements necessary  for  the  proper  development  of  the 
diggings. 

The  upper  Yukon,  of  which  we  are  speaking,  lies 
wholly  within  British  territory.  In  fact  it  may  be  di- 
vided, for  cor  'enience,  from  the  district  of  the  Yukon 
proper  by  the  '  national  boundary  line,  which  in 
this  region  lies  .  g  the  141st  degree  of  longitude, 
from  the  Arctic  Ocean  to  the  northern  base  of  Mi.  St. 
Elias. 

Between  this  international  boundary  line  which 
crosses  the  Yukon  where  Seventy  Mile  Creek  enters 
that  stream,  and  at  the  junction  of  the  Pelly  and  Lewis 
rivers,  there  are,  in  this  order,  from  the  northwest, 
Fort  Cudahy,  Forty  Mile  Post,  Old  Fort  Reliance, 
Dawson  City,  and  most  of  the  mining  camps  now  in 
active  operation,  including  those  on  the  Klondike  and 
the  creeks  flowing  into  it.  Fort  Selkirk  is  located  at 
the  junction  of  the  rivers  last  named,  and  there  the 
Yukon  ceases  as  such.  This  is  in  longitude  137.30 
west  in  the  British  Northwest  territory.  The  Pelly 
River,  starting  from  this  point,  reaches  far  to  the  west- 
ward, taking  its  rise  in  the  almost  innumerable  creek« 
and  gulches  in  the  Rocky  Mountains.  The  ^..ewis 
River  reaches  far  away  to  the  southeast,  taking  its  rise 
northeast  of  Chilcat  Pass,  in  a  large  number  of  long 
narrow  lakes  imbedded  in  that  mountainous  region. 
The  head  waters  of  both  of  these  rivers  comprise  an 
undefinable  and  only  very  partially  explored  region 


■%.] 


UPPER  YUKON  OR  KLONDIKE  REGION. 


35 


of  creeks  and  brooks.  Hundreds  of  these  are  yet  with- 
out names,  having  never  been  visited  by  white  rrien, 
but  that  which  is  known  of  the  district  in  a  general 
way,  as  to  its  auriferous  formation,  fully  justifies  the 
statement,  on  a  geological  basis,  that  the  whole  coun- 
try thereabouts  is  about  equal,  one  section  with  the 
other,  as  to  its  gold-bearing  resources.  Dr.  Dawson, 
chief  of  the  Natural  History  and  Geological  Survey  of 
Canada;  William  Ogilvie,  of  the  Geographical  Survey 
of  the  same  country,  and  many  others  have  made  offi- 
cial reports  which  justify  this  general  statement  as  to 
the  resources  of  the  whole  region.  Dr.  Dawson  veri- 
fied the  discoveries  of  coal  and  silver  in  that  neighbor- 
hood, and  also  far  to  the  south  of  it. 

Both  the  Pelly  and  Lewis  are  large  rivers.  The  lat- 
ter is  the  best  known,  having  been  used  for  the  past 
six  years  as  the  highway  from  Southern  Alaska  to  the 
gold  diggings  of  the  Yukon  in  the  neighborhood  of 
the  boundary  line.  Its  length  from  Lake  Lindeman, 
one  of  its  chief  sources,  to  its  junction  with  the  Pelly, 
is  about  375  miles.  As  already  stated,  the  river  lies 
wholly  in  British  territory.  This  applies  to  the  great- 
er portion  of  the  lakes  which  constitute  its  source. 
Some  of  these  lakes,  however,  extend  into  Southern 
Alaska,  to  a  point  not  far  north  of  Dyea. 

The  Pelly  River  takes  its  rise  in  and  about  Dease 
Lake,  near  the  head  waters  of  the  Stikine  River.  It 
has  a  length  of  fully  500  miles  before  uniting  with  the 
Lewis  to  form  the  Yukon.  The  latter  river  at  the 
junction,  and  for  miles  below,  varies  from  three-quar- 
ters of  a  mile  to  a  iuile  in  width.  For  many  miles 
along  the  northern  bank  there  is  a  solid  wall  of  lava. 
For  convenience  we  may  refer  to  the  whole  gold-bear- 
ing region  west  of  the  Rocky  Mountains  and  down  the 
Yukon  to  the  international  boundary  line,  and  even 
beyond  it,  as  the  Klondike  country. 

There  are  three  general  routes  by  which  this  new  El 
Dorado  may  be  reached.  One  is  a  all-water  route  by 
way  of  St.  Michaels  and  along  the  great  Yukon  River, 


36 


XHE  GOLDEN  NORTH. 


I    ill; 


i>  9 


t 


l!ii 


the  longest  and,  at  present,  probably  the  most  ex- 
pensive journey.  This  may  be  called  the  summer 
route,  for  tiie  river  is  not  navigable  during  the  winter 
season.  The  second  route,  and  that  which  is  now 
being  most  generally  traveled,  is  by  Juneau  and  Dyea, 
through  the  several  passes  to  the  Lewis  River  beyond 
the  mountains,  the  principal  of  these  being  the  Chilcat 
and  Chilkoot  passes.  These  passes  are  being  rapidly 
improved,  so  that  it  is  possible  to  make  the  journey, 
though  with  considerable  hardship,  during  the  winter 
season.  The  third  route  has  not  yet  been  traveled  to 
any  extent  by  gold  hunters,  but  it  is  predicted  that  it 
will,  in  a  short  time,  become  the  most  favored  highway 
by  which  the  gold-bearing  regions  of  the  great  North 
will  be  reached.  It  is  from  Edmonton,  in  the  Cana- 
dian Northwest,  by  way  of  the  Athabasca,  Great  Slave 
Lake  and  the  upper  Mackenzie  and  across  the  water- 
shed to  the  head  waters  of  the  Pelly  or  the  McMillan, 
the  latter  being  a  northeasterly  branch  of  the  Pelly. 
One  reason,  and  an  important  one,  why  this  is  likely 
to  become  a  favored  route  is  because  of  the  well- 
grounded  belief  that  gold  exists  in  quantities  equally 
as  great  east  of  the  watershed,  on  the  upper  creeks  and 
tributaries  of  the  Mackenzie,  as  on  the  western  slopes, 
or  in  the  Klondike  region. 

Of  course  the  trip  is  one  of  difficulties,  taxing  the 
endurance  and  nerve  of  the  traveler,  no  matter  which 
route  is  taken.  Only  persons  can  expect  to  make  the 
journey  successfully  who  can  endure  the  work  of  pack- 
ing supplies  over  the  precipitous  and  somewliat  path- 
less mountains,  towing  boats  against  strong  currents, 
and  sleeping  anywhere  night  overtakes  them,  and  in 
the  summer  season,  fighting  the  veritable  pestilence 
of  gnats  and  mosquitoes.  However,  the  climate  is 
unequaled  for  health  in  both  summer  and  winter,  pro- 
vided one  enjoys  anything  like  reasonable  supplies  of 
the  necessaries  of  life  in  that  region. 

But  as  to  transportation  facilities,  tliere  will  no 
doubt  be  great  improvements  within  the  next  few 


UPPER  YUKON  OR  KLONDIKE  REGION. 


37 


months.  Wagon-roads  and  trails  will  be  constructed 
through  the  coast  range  mountains.  More  commo- 
dious steamers  will  be  placed  on  lakes  and  rivers,  pass- 
able roads  will  be  constructed  over  the  northwest 
route,  and  the  whole  vast  upper  country  on  both  sides 
of  the  Rockies  wiU  be  made  reasonably  accessible  to 
all  who  desire  to  enter  it.  Then  thousands  will  flock 
there.  The  writer  of  this  book,  who  has  traveled  ex- 
tensively over  the  region  and  acquired  a  considerable 
knowledge  of  its  wonderful  resources,  predicts  that  in 
ten  years  there  will  be  a  population  of  over  250,000  in 
these  territories. 


Km 


iir".-"""'«' 


38 


THE  GOLDEN  NORTH. 


CHAPTER  VI. 

UPPER  YUKON  OR  KLONDIKE  REGION. 

(Continued.) 

Pioneers  of  the  Klondike  country-^-Administration  of  min- 
ing laws,  tariff  regulations  and  homestead  entry  ruie& 
extended  to  the  district  by  the  Canadian  Government — 
Explorations  of  Dr.  Dawson  and  Surveyor  Ogilvie — In- 
crease of  mining  camps. 

Continuing  our  account  of  the  upper  Yukon  or 
Klondike  country,  the  work  becomes  partly  historical 
and  partly  descriptive.  We  find  that  the  first  repre- 
sentatives of  civilization  to  enter  the  region  were  the 
traders  of  the  Hudson's  Bay  Company.  In  the  year 
1840  a  Mr.  Campbell  was  sent  out  by  Sir  George  Simp- 
son to  explore  the  upper  Liard,  one  of  the  branches  of 
the  Mackenzie  River,  and  to  cross  the  watershed  in 
search  of  any  rivers  flowing  to  the  westward.  After 
ascending  the  river  to  its  head  waters,  he  had  no  diffi- 
culty in  crossing  one  of  the  many  convenient  passes  of 
the  Rocky  Mountain  range  to  the  head  waters  of  the 
Pelly  River.  Thence  he  descended  the  Pelly  to  the 
confluence  of  the  Lewis.  From  this  point  he  returned, 
his  men  having  become  discouraged  by  reports  of  the 
hostile  character  of  the  Wood  Indians  encamped  near 
there.  From  these  reports  he  represented  that  the 
lower  portion  of  the  river  was  inhabited  by  a  large 
tribe  of  cannibals.  In  1847  F^^^^t  Yukon  was  estab- 
lished at  the  mouth  of  the  Porcupine  River  on  the 
northern  banks  of  the  Yukon  by  A.  H.  Murray,  another 
representative  of  the  Hudson's  Bay  Company.  It  was 
in  1848  that  Campbell  established  Fort  Selkirk  at  the 
junction  of  the  Pelly  and  Lewis  rivers.  This  fort  was 
plundered  and  destroyed  four  years  later  by  the  coast 
Indians.    At  present  only  its  ruins  remain.     It  was  at 


UPPER  YUKON  OR  KLONDIKE  REGION. 


39 


one  time  one  of  the  most  important  trading  posts  of 
the  Hudson's  Bay  Company  west  of  the  Rocky  Moun- 
tains. 

Coming  down  to  more  recent  dates,  it  will  be  re- 
membered that  in  1869,  two  years  after  Alaska  was 
acquired  by  the  United  States  Government,  the  Hud- 
son's Bay  Company's  officers  and  traders  were  ex- 
pelled from  Fort  Yukon  by  our  Government,  it  having 
been  determined  by  astronomical  observations  that 
the  post  was  located  within  United  States  territory. 
At  this  time  the  Hudson's  Bay  Company's  representa- 
tives left  Fort  Yukon,  ascended  the  Porcupine  River 
to  a  point  which  they  believed  to  be  within  British 
jurisdiction,  where  they  established  Rampart  House; 
but  as  ill-luck  would  have  it,  the  international  bound- 
ary line  was  further  determined  in  1890,  and  the  new- 
trading  station  was  found  to  be  twenty  miles  within 
Uncle  Sam's  domain.  Therefore,  in  1891,  the  post 
was  moved  twenty  miles  farther  up  the  river,  where  it 
was  located  on  British  territory. 

According  to  the  best  information  at  hand,  the  next 
people  to  enter  the  Klondike  country  were  Harper  and 
McQuestion.  They  established  several  trading  posts, 
most  of  which  they  afterwards  abandoned;  later  Mr. 
Harper  located  as  a  trader  at  Fort  Selkirk,  and  Mr. 
McQuestion  entered  the  employ  of  the  Alaska  Com- 
mercial Company  at  Circle  City,  which  is  a  distribut- 
ing point  for  a  vast  region  of  territory. 

In  1882  quite  a  number  of  miners  entered  the  Yu- 
kon country  by  the  Taiya  Pass,  which  was  then  the 
best  and  most  traveled  route.  It  is  still  largely  used, 
and  is  said  to  be  shorter  than  any  of  the  other  passes, 
though  it  is  by  no  means  the  lowest.  It  will  be  re- 
membered that  in  1883  Lieut.  Schwatka  went  into  the 
Yukon  country  through  this  pass,  and  descended  the 
Lewis  and  Yukon  rivers  to  Bering  Sea.  In  1887  the 
Canadian  Government  fitted  out  an  expedition,  hav^ 
ing  for  its  object  the  exploration  of  the  far  northwest 
territory  of  Canada,  which  is  drained  by  the  Felly  and 


'  ^wp^T^  :!"3^ 


40 


THE  GOLDEN  NORTH. 


L 


Lewis  rivers.  This  expedition  was  entrusted  to  Dr. 
George  M.  Dawson,  then,  as  now,  the  chief  director 
of  the  Geological  and  Natural  History  Survey  of  the 
Canadian  Dominion.  His  chief  assistant  in  the  work 
was  Dominion  Land  Surveyor  William  Ogilvie,  from 
whose  pen  the  people  of  this  country  have  had  the 
most  recent  official  information  regarding  the  gold 
fields  of  the  Klondike  country.  Mr.  Ogilvie,  who  has 
long  been  known  in  Canada  as  a  Dominion  Land  Sur- 
veyor, now  ranks  equal  with  Dr.  Dawson  himself  as  an 
explorer  of  the  far  north  country,  especially  of  that 
portion  of  it  along  the  northern  Rocky  Mountain  sum- 
mit and  the  slopes  on  either  side  of  it.  Dr.  Dawson 
devoted  the  whole  of  that  season  to  exploring,  locating 
and  defining  the  lakes  and  rivers  of  the  upper  Yukon 
region,  and  Mn  Ogilvie  remained  in  the  country  for 
two  years  gathering  geological  and  topographical  in- 
formation concerning  the  country  lying  adjacent  to 
the  141st  degree  of  longitude,  which  is  the  interna- 
tional boundary  line,  and  the  country  east  of  it. 

This  expedition  found  that  the  whole  country  as  far 
as  they  traveled  over  it  contained  valuable  gold  mines, 
and  they  were  surprised  at  meeting  at  least  300  min- 
ers who  were  at  work  digging  and  washing  out  the 
gold.  Mr.  Ogilvie,  by  a  series  of  observations,  de- 
termined the  point  at  which  the  Yukon  River  is  crossed 
by  the  international  boundary  line,  and  also  that  at 
which  Forty  Mile  Creek  is  crossed  by  the  same;  and 
this  survey  proved  that  the  place  which  had  then  been 
selected  as  a  convenient  point  for  the  distribution  of 
supplies  for  the  various  mining  camps,  namely.  Fort 
Cudahy,  which  is  situated  where  Forty  Mile  Creek 
enters  the  Yukon,  was  in  British  Canadian  territory. 
Even  at  that  date  it  was  discovered  that  the  greater 
proportion  of  the  mines  being  worked  was  on  the 
British  side.  Since  that  date  the  best  paying  mines 
have  been  discovered  still  further  to  th  east,  and  it  is 
evident,  from  the  official  and  other  reports  at  b^nd, 
that  the  further  east  the  prospecting  is  conducted  the 


UPPER  YUKON  OR  KLONDIKE  REGION. 


41 


greater  the  rewards  to  those  engaged  in  that  work.  As 
before  intimated,  the  reports  of  Dr.  Dawson  which 
cover  a  period  of  more  than  twenty  years,  support  the 
behef  that  the  most  productive  gold  deposits  will  yet 
be  found  considerably  to  the  east  of  the  Klondike,  and 
even  beyond  the  summit  of  the  mountains,  on  the^  east- 
ern slopes. 

The  number  of  persons  who  had  entered  the  Klon- 
dike country  to  engage  in  mining  had  reached  over 
1. 000  up  to  the  year  1895,  and  the  additions  to  that 
number  between  1895  and  1896  were  considerable. 
During  the  present  year  there  has,  of  course,  been  a 
very  large  increase  to  the  mining  population. 

\Ve  learn  from  Canadian  official  reports  that  for 
many  years  subsequent  to  the  retirement  of  the  Hud- 
son's Bay  Company  from  Alaska,  the  Alaska  Commer- 
cial Company  enjoyed  a  monopoly  of  the  trade  of  the 
Yukon,  carrying  into  the  country  and  delivering  at 
various  points  along  the  river,  without  regard  to  the 
international  boundary  line  or  to  customs  laws,  such 
commodities  and  supplies  as  were  required  for  the 
prosecution  of  the  fur  trade,  and  later  on,  of  placer 
mining.  Of  course  these  were  the  only  two  industries 
known  to  the  country. 

It  may  be  noted  here  that  with  the  discovery  of  gold 
in  larger  quantities,  there  fallowed  the  organization  of 
a  company  to  compete  with  the  Alaska  Commercial 
Company,  known  as  the  North  American  Transporta- 
tion and  Trading  Company,  having  its  headquarters  in 
Chicago,  and  its  chief  trading  center  at  Fort  Cudahy, 
on  the  Yukon.  This  company  has  now  been  engaged 
in  this  trade  for  about  five  years,  and  owns  and  oper- 
ates lines  of  steamers  plying  beiween  Pacific  ports  and 
St.  Michaels  at  the  mouth  of  the  Yukon,  and  trading 
to  Juneau  artd  Dyea  in  southeastern  Alaska.  By 
means  of  these  steamers  the  Company  tra^^  v  ^rts  mer- 
chandise to  the  first  mentioned  point,  trani,-^liipping  it 
into  river  steamers  at  the  mouth  of  the  Yukon  to  points 
inland,  notably  to  Fort  Cudahy  at  the  western  borders 


g-gg- 


uii 


42 


THE  GOLDEN  NORTH. 


of  the  Klondike  country.  This  route  has  been  the 
principal  highway  of  the  carrying  trade  of  the  upper 
Yukon,  but  more  recently  importations  of  some  value 
consisting  of  miners'  supplies  and  their  tools  have 
reached  the  Klondike  district  from  Juneau  by  way  of 
Dyea  and  the  mountain  passes  to  the  chain  of  water- 
ways leading  therefrom  to  the  Lewis  River,  thence  to 
Cudahy  on  the  Yukon. 

Up  to  within  a  year  past,  although  civil  government 
had  been  fully  established  by  the  United  States  in  all 
parts  of  Alaska,  no  governmental  authority  of  any 
kind  had  been  set  up  m  any  portion  of  the  Canadian 
Northwest  between  the  international  boundary  line 
and  the  Rocky  Mountains  north  of  the  6oth  parallel. 
As  a  result  importations  of  considerable  value  were 
taken  into  the  country  without  the  payment  of  duty, 
except  that,  in  1894,  the  North  American  Transporta- 
tion and  Trading  Company  paid  customs  charges  on 
the  merchandise  which  it  carried  into  the  country,  to 
the  amount  of  $3,240.  Recently,  howev*  the  Cfa?  a- 
dian  Government  has  extended  its  auministration, 
both  as  to  the  collecting  of  customs  and  the  enforcing 
of  mining  regulations  and  homestead  laws  in  that  ter- 
ritory. The  officials  sent  out  there  to  administer  these 
branches  of  the  Canadian  Government  are  now  backed 
up  by  a  considerable  force  of  the  Canadian  Northwest 
mounted  police.  As  a  result,  customs  duties  are  being 
collected  on  merchandise  taken  across  the  international 
boundary  line,  the  Canadian  mining  laws  are  being  en- 
forced, and  the  door  has  been  opened  for  the  settle- 
ment of  Canadian  lands  under  the  free  entry  system, 
as  fast  as  they  can  be  surveyed  into  townships  and 
sections  for  that  purpose.  The  miners  have  made 
some  complaints  as  to  the  alleged  excessive  customs 
charges  by  the  Canadian  officials,  but  in  the  main, 
those  who  have  gone  into  the  country,  and  those  con- 
templating going,  will  appreciate  the  value  of  the  fact 
that  the  Canadian  Government  has  taken  ample  steps 
for  the  enforcement  of  law,  maintenance  of  order  and 


ip~^^-^  I  ■  f  ^ 


.!IH1|IUP|||^«^ 


*-J5"5'g&'  I'l'iiiiJ  ■■mi.jtw  u,,j»L. 


UPPER  YUKON  OR  KLONDIKE  REGION. 


43 


the  administration  of  justice  in  the  upper  Yukon  ter- 
ritory. Without  this  step  the  placer  mining  of  gold, 
which  is  now  being  carried  forward  on  an  extensive 
scale  east  of  the  international  boundary,  would  be  at- 
tended with  great  danger  and  much  insecurity.  It  was 
clearly  in  the  interests  of  humanity,  and  absolutely 
necessary  for  the  security  and  safety  of  the  lives  and 
property  of  the  citizens  of  the  United  States  as  well  as 
of  Canadian  subjects. 

The  exploration  and  surveys  made  by  Dr.  Dawson 
and  Mr.  Ogilvie  in  the  upper  Yukon  region  in  1887 
and  the  years  immediately  following  arc  among  the 
most  important  official  documents  describing  the 
topography  and  resources  of  that  country,  and  form 
the  basis  of  nearly  everything  that  has  been  printed 
concerning  it  since.  Mr.  Ogilvie  returned  to  the  north- 
west and  continued 'his  explorations  and  surveys,  of 
which  we  have  printed  accounts  as  late  as  the  latter 
part  of  January  of  the  present  year.  Some  of  his  let- 
ters to  the  Canadian  Mmister  of  the  Interior,  di.tcd  in 
the  latter  part  of  1896  and  t^  early  portion  of  the 
present  year,  give  almost  sensational  accounts  of  gold 
discoveries  in  the  Klondike  This  fully  substantiates 
tfie  unofficial  reports  which  have  come  from  the  miners 
themselves  by  way  of  letters  to  friends  in  different  parts 
of  this  country. 


mm 


■atidiffi 


-y-'  >fr-PT^><\^^v3y^7T  . 


44 


THE  GOLDEN  NORTH. 


CHAPTER  VII. 

THE  ALEUTIAN  DISTRICT— ALASKA. 

A  mountainous  and  volcanic  country — Broad  meadows  and 
sloping  hillsides  capable  of  cereal  and  stock-raising 
development — A  mountainous  country— Altitude  limit 
of  vegetation. 

Before  proceeding  to  farther  details  concerning  the 
gold  regions  of  the  great  north  country,  let  us  turn 
aside  to  glance  at  the  interesting  features  of  the  other 
physical  divisions  of  Alaska.  This  step  leads  us  to  the 
Aleutian  district,  which  comprises  the  Aleutian  Islands 
and  part  of  the  Peninsula  of  Alaska.  Owing  to  the 
presence  of  trees,  the  Island  of  Kadiak  and  those  ad- 
jacent belong  rather  to  the  Sitkan  division. 

These  ishnds  contait)  many  high  mountains,  some 
of  them  volcanic,  a  fiv/  still  showing  activity  by  emit- 
ting smoke  and  steam.  Between  them  and  the  sea  are 
extensive  rolling  hills  and  meadows.  Much  of  the  soil 
is  rich,  consisting  of  vegetable  mold  and  dark-colored 
f^ys,  with  here  and  there  light  loam  forme^l  of  de- 
composed rocks  and  rich  in  tertiary  fossils.  In  many 
parts  of  these  meadows  the  drainage  is  insuftkient,  but 
may  be  improved  at  liMe  cost.  In  some  places  the 
soil  is  composed  of  decayed  volcanic  products,  but 
much  of  this  is  rich  and  productive. 

From  the  evidence  at  hand  one  is  warranted  in  the 
statement  that  vast  areas  of  this  soil  will  produce 
cereals  and  vegetables.  The  mercury  ranges  from  zero 
to  75  above.  The  following  statistics  will  show  the 
range  ol  the  thermometer,  by  means,  fcr  four  years 
within  the  last  decade,  although  there  are  readings  at 
hand  extending  as  far  back  as  1830; 


I 


THE  ALEUTIAN  DISTRICT— ALASKA. 


45 


A.M. 

I  P.M. 

9  P.M. 

Ex.  Heat. 

Ex.  Cold. 

35 

38 

34 

77 

Zero. 

36 

40 

^ 

64 

7 

39 

42 

3§ 

77 

7 

38 

41 

36 

76 

5 

The  i.verage  for  the  four  years  is  37  above  at  7  A.  M.; 
40.5  above  at  i  P.  M.;  36  above  at  9  P.  M.  The  aver- 
age extreme  heat  for  the  four  years  is  77  above,  and 
the  extreme  cold  for  the  same  period  is  zero. 

The  average  weather  statistics  for  seven  years  out  of 
the  last  ten  is  as  follows:  January,  11  all-clear  days; 
III  half-clecir  days ; 95  all-cloudy  days ;  February,  9  all- 
clear  days,  86  half-clear  days,  and  103  all-cloudy  days; 
March,  3  all-clear  days,  112  half-clear  days,  102  all- 
cloudy  days;  April,  4  all-clear  days,  104  hali-clear  days, 
102  ill-cloudy  days;  May,  2  all-clear  days,  105  half- 
clear  days,  and  104  all-cloudy  days;  June,  6  all-clear 
days,  118  half-clear  days,  99  all-cloudy  days;  July,  no 
all-clear  days,  118  half-clear  days,  and  99  all-cloudy 
days;  August,  5  all-clear  days,  106  half-clear  days,  106 
all-cloudy  days;  September,  2  all-clear  days,  107  half- 
clear  days,  100  all-cloudy  days;  October,  2  all-clear 
days,  T15  half-clear  davs,  100  all-cloudv  days;  Novem- 
ber, 3  all-clear  days,  88  half-clear  days,  119  aV  cloudy 
days;  December,  6  all-clear  days,  116  half-clear  days, 
95  all-cloudy  days.  The  total  for  the  seven  years 
records  53  all-clear  days,  1,263  half-clear  days,  and 
1,235  all-cloudy  days. 

It  will  be  seen  that  there  is  a  great  proportion  of 
cloudy  and  half-cloudy  weather  in  this  district.  The 
average  number  of  rainy  days  for  seven  years  in  this 
d',strict  ir.  150,  but  it  will  be  seen  that  the  precipitation 
is  light,  as  during  that  whole  period  the  rainfall  meas- 
ured but  45  inches.  This  is  abi  At  the  average  for  the 
whole  district  in  question. 

There  is  no  timber  of  any  kind  on  the  islands  except 
shrub,  but  the  grasses  in  this  climate — which  is  warmer 
than  that  of  the  Yukon  district,  and  drier  than  that  of 


i 


46 


THE  GOLDEN  NORTH. 


tii' 


the  Sitkaii — attain  almost  an  incredible  luxuriance. 
For  example,  Unalaska,  in  the  vicinity  of  Captain's 
Harbor,  abounds  in  fertile  meadows,  with  a  climate 
better  adapted  for  haying  than  many  districts  2,000 
miles  southeast  of  it.  Here  and  in  this  vicinity  cattle 
may  be  raised  by  the  hundreds  of  thousands,  without 
trouble  or  any  considerable  expense.  They  become 
remarkably  fat,  and  the  beef  is  tender  and  delicate, 
rarely  surpassed  by  any  stock-fed  beef.  The  milk  is 
of  excellent  quality  and  dairy  products  m.ay  be  easily 
made  profitable  in  this  quarter. 

It  may  be  noted  that  the  best  and  most  available 
arable  lands  lie  near  the  coast,  formed  by  the  debris 
of  the  mountains  and  valleys  mingling  with  the  sea 
sands,  which  together  form  a  remarkably  rich  soil, 
excellently  adapted  for  cereal  and  vegetable  culture. 
These  things,  considered  together  with  the  extra- 
ordinarily favorable  climate,  warrant  the  statement 
that  these  broad  meadows  and  sloping,  sunny  hill- 
sides, will  produce  good  crops  under  the  thrifty  hand 
of  enterprise,  while  on  the  rolling  meadows  stock  rais- 
ing and  dairying  may  be  carried  on  with  great  profit. 

The  broad  areas  are  all  cleared  for  the  plow,  and 
cultivation  may  proceed  as  on  the  prairies  of  any  of 
the  northwestern  states.  Many  of  the  grasses  found  on 
these  meadows  are  cereal-like,  and  their  nature  leads 
one  to  infer  that  oats  and  barley  will  thrive  and  ripen 
in  this  quarter  excellently.  The  great  length  of  the 
days  and  the  many  hours  of  sunshine  during  the 
summer  months,  as  compared  widi  the  districts  thou- 
sands of  miles  to  the  southeubt,  go  very  far  to  warrant 
the  belief  that  the  climate  is  capable  of  produr  'ng  al- 
most all  kinds  of  cereals,  though  the  early  heavy  frosts 
may  somewhat  interfere  with  ripening  wheat  harvests.  # 

From  the  best  information  obt^.inable  from  Russian 
traders,  and  others,  it  may  be  said  that  potatoes  may 
be  cultivated  on  almost  all  the  Aleutian  Islands,  and 
upon  the  rolling  meadows  and  sloping  hillsides  of  the 
mainland.  At  False  Pass,  or  Isanotski  Strait,  potatoes 


THE  ALEUTIAN  DISTRICT— ALASKA. 


47 


! 


have  been  raised  and  the  seed  preserved  for  planting 
from  year  to  year.  The  products  of  the  islands  to  the 
westward  of  this  district  are  abort  the  same  as  those  of 
Unalaska.  Turnips  grow  very  large  in  size,  and  are 
excellent  in  quality.  In  this  district  vegetation  ceases 
about  2,000  feet  above  the  level  of  the  sea.  It  is  im- 
possible, from  the  data  at  hand,  to  estimate  the  extent 
of  the  productive  areas  of  the  Aleutian  territory,  but 
they  are  sufficiently  great  to  support  a  considerable 
population. 


48 


THE  GOLDEN  NORTH. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 


SITKAN  DISTRICT— ALASKA. 


I 


Channels,  nav.ural  canals,  rivers  and  lakes — The  water  high- 
way b  of  the  country — Great  timber  resources  of  South- 
ern Alaska— Wild  berries  abundant— Pest  of  mosqui- 
toes and  flies — Stock  and  agriculture. 

As  we  have  defined  it,  from  physical  features,  the 
Sitkan  district  of  Alaska  includes  the  mainland  and 
the  islands  from  the  southern  boundary  of  the  penin- 
sula, and  also  Kadiak  and  the  adjacent  islaiids.  The 
surface  of  this  part  of  the  country  is  rugged  and 
mountainous  in  the  extreme.  It  is  only  in  the  northern 
portion  that  one  meets  with  arable  lands  that  are  level 
and  adapted  to  cultivation.  Small  patches  are  found 
in  the  southern  portion,  here  and  there,  but  not  ex- 
tensive enough  for  any  but  very  small  farms.  As  a 
rule  the  mountains  descend  precipitously  into  the  sea, 
with  their  steep  sides  covered  with  dense  and  almost 
impenetrable  forests,  and  their  summits,  in  many  cases, 
crowned  with  eternal  snow  and  ice. 

Channels  and  natural  anals  constitute  the  high- 
ways of  th.i  country,  and  these  are  so  numerous  and 
intricate,  and  penetrate  the  region  so  completely,  that 
they  afford  means  of  communication  with  all  sections. 
The  elevations  average  about  1,500  feet  above  these 
channels.  Here  and  there  a  wide,  glittering,  mammoth 
glacier  stands  out  picturesquely  in  some  ravine,  con- 
trasting strangely  with  the  dense  foliage  on  either  side 
of  it. 

The  soil  is  principally  alluvial,  with  substrata  of 
gravel  and  clay.  That  of  Cook's  Inlet  and  Kadiak  is 
of  the  same  character,  but  from  a  mixture  of  volcanic 
sand,  and  an  underlying  of  limestone  Jitratum,  it  is 
lighter  and  drier  and  better  adapted  for  c'lltivation. 


SITKAN  DISTRICT— ALASKA. 


49 


In  the  southern  part  of  this  district  there  is  Httle 
beside  timber,  from  an  agricultural  point  of  view.  At 
Sitka  a  considerable  variety  of  vegetables  do  fairly  well. 
Turnips,  beans,  peas,  carrots,  beets,  lettuce  and  rad- 
ishes flourish.  Potatoes  are  small  and  do  not  reach  a 
healthy  maturity.  This  is  owing  to  the  excessive 
moisture.  Cabbages  grow  luxuriantly,  but  do  not  head 
properly.  Cereals  are  not  successful  to  any  extent  in 
this  locality.  Cattle,  however,  may  be  successfully 
kept,  and  the  dairy  product  is  excellent.  Kadiak  and 
Cook's  Inlet,  northeast  of  Fort  Alexander,  have,  com- 
paratively, colder  winters  and  drier  and  warmer  sum- 
mers than  the  islands  and  coasts  to  the  south.  Here 
haying  can  be  successfully  carried  on.  The  native 
grasses  are  good  for  fodder,  whether  cut  and  cured,  or 
on  the  stem.  Barley  and  oats  have  been  successfully 
raised  in  this  neighborhood,  and  the  evidence  we  have 
indicates  that  cereals  may  be  raised  with  considerable 
profit. 

There  is  an  abundance  of  wood  in  this  neighbor- 
hood, but  it  is  not  to  be  found  on  the  lowlands,  which 
for  the  greater  part  are  bare  of  both  brush  and  trees. 
The  summer  climate  in  the  neighborhood  of  Cook's 
Inlet  and  Kadiak,  unlike  that  of  Sitka,  furnishes  an 
excellent  haying  season.  There  are  broad  vrlleys  from 
which  an  extensive  supply  of  hay,  consisting  of  native 
grasses,  can  be  annually  secured,  and  this  industry 
may  be  developed  to  almost  any  extent.  The  cattle 
existing  here  are  fat  and  healthy,  and  the  milk  is 
abundant.  The  butter  is  yellow  and  remarkably  rich. 
Potatoes  do  well  in  this  neighborhood — much  better 
than  at  Sitka,  but  do  not  grow  very  large.  Cattle  were 
first  brought  to  this  district  by  the  Russian-American 
Company,  and  have  been  maintained  there  ever  since 
in  a  thriving  condition.  It  may  be  said,  therefore,  that 
the  stock-raising  capabilities,  and  the  possibilities  of 
dairy  products  in  Alaska  are  more  than  sufficient  for 
the  needs  of  any  population  that  is  likely  ever  to  in- 
habit the  country.     At  present,   however,  the   great 


50 


THE  GOLDEN  NORTH. 


1; 


' 


agricultural  staple  of  the  southern  Sitkan  district  is 
timber.  Yellow  cedar  is  the  finest  tree  of  these  forests, 
and  the  most  profitable  wood  of  the  Pacific  coast.  The 
next  in  order  is  the  Sitka  spruce,  or  white  pine,  which 
is  well  known  in  the  lumber  trade  of  the  coast.  Like 
the  yellow  cedar,  it  attains  a  large  size,  and  is  remark- 
able for  its  straight  and  beautifully  tapering  trunk. 
This  wood  is  not  as  durable  as  yellow  cedar,  but  is 
valuable  for  many  purposes.  Hemlock  also  abounds 
in  many  ^sections.  So  does  the  balsam  fir,  and  a  con- 
siderable variety  of  less  noteworthy  trees.  In  Kadiak 
the  growth  of  timber  is  confined  to  the  eastern  valleys 
and  slopes  of  the  islands,  but  it  is  gradually  extending 
all  over  its  surface,  except  upon  the  highest  summits. 
The  largest  sized  trees  seen  there  are  three  feet  in 
diameter  and  90  to  100  feet  in  height.  The  wooded 
districts  comprise  the  whole  of  the  Alexandrian  Archi- 
pelago, and  the  mainland  of  the  North  Lituya  Bay. 
From  this  point  to  Prince  William's  Sound  the  coun- 
try is  fairly  well  timbered. 

And  now,  speaking  of  the  physical  features  of 
Alaska,  as  a  whole,  it  is  not  so  large  a  country  in  area 
as  some  suppose.  It  contains,  in  the  aggregate,  a  little 
less  than  600,000  square  miles,  and  is  pre-eminently  a 
land  of  mountains,  streams,  and  lakes.  It  may  be  said 
that,  while  the  Yukon  territory  does  not  present  ex- 
tended agricultural  resources,  its  stock-raising  capabil- 
ities, provided  cattle  have  good  winter  shelter,  are  con- 
siderable. Nevertheless  the  future  settlers  of  that  vast 
country  may  have  an  abundance  of  milk,  butter,  fresh 
beef  and  fresh  vegetables,  if  they  use  the  skill  and  do 
the  work  necessary  to  produce  them.  During  the  sum- 
mer months  cattle  may  roam  and  fatten  on  the  mead- 
ows and  slopes  and  hillsides,  and  ample  fodder,  con- 
sisting of  the  perennial  grasses,  may  be  gathered  for 
their  winter  supplies. 

In  the  Aleutian  district,  of  course,  the  greatest  ex- 
tent of  arable  land  is  found.  In  the  northern  part  of 
the  Sitkan  territory  the  climate  is  most  favorable  for 


SITKAN  DISTRICT— ALASKA. 


51 


agriculture  and  stock-raising.  Indeed,  the  capabilities 
of  this  district  and  the  islands  mentioned  are  much 
better  than  have  heretofore  been  reported.  Oats  and 
barley,  wheat  and  rye,  and  a  very  wide  range  of  vege- 
tables  will  succeed  well  on  these  islands.  There  is 
now  no  doubt  of  the  great  stock-raising  capabilities  of 
this  section  of  the  country.  Sheep,  goats  and  sv/ine 
may  do  well,  but  of  this  experiments  have  not  yet  fur- 
nished us  any  reliable  information. 

A  great  variety  of  berries  abound  in  unlimited  quan- 
tities, both  in  the  Yukon  and  Aleutian  territories,  and 
in  the  northern  Sitkan  district.  It  is  believed  that  fruit 
trees  may  be  successfully  cultivated  in  the  drier  sec- 
tions of  the  territory  mentioned. 

The  soil  product  of  the  southe  .  Sitkan  district  con- 
sists entirely  in  timber.  No  better  lumber  district  can 
well  be  imagined,  and  it  is  interlaced  everywhere  with 
means  of  VvSter  transportation.  The  mountain  sides 
are  so  steep  that  slides  for  delivering  the  timber  to  the 
watercourses  can  easily  be  made.  Once  afloat,  it  is 
readily  formed  into  rafts  and  towed  to  mill  or  market, 
as  may  be  desired. 

One  of  the  most  remarkable  characteristics  of  Alaska 
is  the  network  of  rivers  and  lakes  and  channels  that 
intersect  its  surface,  and  that  ofifers  a  most  available 
means  of  transportation.  In  fact,  land  travel  is  almost 
impossible  in  *^iny  parts  of  the  territory.  Only  the 
savages  trav*.  ^y  land.  The  whites  go  by  water  almost 
exclusively,  except  where  they  are  forced  to  use  con- 
venient passes  and  portages  in  making  the  distances 
between  the  rivers  and  lakes.  In  the  more  northern 
regions — between  the  mountain  -anges — are  vast  areas 
of  meadows,  sloping  uplands  and  bogs,  and  these  are 
dotted  with  thousands  of  lakes,  large  and  small, 
and  threaded  in  all  directions  by  innumerable  rivers 
and  channels. 

Beginning  at  the  south  the  Sitkine  is  the  first  stream 
of  large  size.  This  river  has  become  well  known  on 
account  of  the  gold  diggings  on  its  banks,  all  of  which, 


si> 


52 


THE  GOLDEN  NORTH. 


1 


however,  are  in  British  territory.  It  is  over  250  miles 
in  length  and  is  navigable  only  by  small  boats,  except 
during  the  spring  freshets.  The  north  fork,  about  40 
miles  long,  rises  on  the  east  of  Bald  Mountain,  near 
the  headwaters  of  the  Yukon.  A  small  stream  called 
the  Taku  flows  into  a  glacier  arm  of  St.  Stephen's 
Strait.  Chilkoot,  a  much  larger  river,  enters  the  north- 
ern extremity  of  Lynn  channel,  its  general  direction 
being  from  the  north.  From  its  upper  waters  one 
passes  through  the  Chilkoot  Pass,  and  by  means  of 
lakes  and  rivers  and  portages,  reaches  Lewis  River, 
one  of  the  great  tributaries  of  the  Yukon. 

The  Yukon  can  be  reached  from  Norton  sound  by 
way  of  Unalakeik  and  Aritrokakat  rivers,  or  by  way 
of  the  Kaltag.  The  latter  is  the  usual  route  from  St. 
Michaels.  The  Yukon  River  also  connects  by  way  of 
the  Koynkuk  with  Kotzebue  Sound;  and  it  is  now 
well  known  that  there  are  routes  of  travel  between  the 
north  tributaries  of  the  Yukon  or  the  Noatak,  and 
many  of  the  rivers  that  empty  into  the  Arctic  Ocean. 

The  Yukon  is  a  mighty  river,  larger  than  the  Mis- 
sissippi, and  empties  about  one-third  more  water  into 
Bering  Sea  every  hour  than  does  the  Father  of 
Waters  into  the  Gulf  of  Mexico.  The  sea  is  very  shal- 
low at  the  mouth  of  this  river,  varying  in  depth  from 
two  to  three  fathoms  for  50  miles  out.  It  is  a  mourn- 
ful, desolate  country  to  the  traveler,  and  as  he  ascends 
the  mighty  stream  there  are  vast  areas  on  either  side 
of  low,  boggy  country,  covered  everywhere  with  a 
mountainous  cloak  of  willows  and  rank  grasses. 
Wherever  the  banks  raise  to  any  considerable  height 
they  are  being  constantly  undermined  and  washed 
away  by  the  floods.  So  precipitate  are  the  landslides 
caused  in  this  way,  that  at  times  travelers  are  fortunate 
to  escape  with  their  lives.  This  is  the  general  charac- 
ter of  the  country  until  Kusilvak  is  reached,  and  until 
the  bluffs  at  Andriewsky  and  Chatinakh  give  evidence 
that  all  the  land  of  Alaska  is  not  under  water. 

The  Yukon  impresses  one  as  a  vast  inland  sea  with 


SITKAN  DISTRICT— ALASKA. 


53 


expanswe,  water-charged,  boggy  areas  on  either  side 
as  far  up  as  700  or  800  miles  above  its  mouth.  There 
are  many  points  at  which  this  river  extends  to  a 
breadth  of  20  miles  from  shore  to  shore,  even  as  high 
up  as  800  miles  above  St.  Michaels.  For  over  2,000 
miles,  or  up  to  a  considerable  distance  above  the 
junction  of  the  Lewis  and  the  Pelly,  the  river  is  navi- 
gable for  flat-bottomed  steamers,  of  say  500  tons  each. 
White  River,  a  portion  of  whose  waters  flow  through 
Alaskan  territory,  empties  into  the  Yukon  on  the 
British  side.  Forty  Mile  Creek,  and  Birch  and  Beaver 
creeks  join  the  river  between  Fort  Yukon  and  Daw- 
son City.  During  the  summer  months  the  whole  pop- 
ulation, native  and  civilized,  excepting,  of  course,  the 
miners,  fliock  to  the  many  rivers  and  lakes,  attracted 
by  the  myriads  of  salmon,  which  they  catch,  dry  and 
cure  for  the  winter's  stock  of  food.  During  this  season 
the  banks  of  the  river  are  lined  with  the  camps  of  the 
fishermen,  who  project  their  basket  traps  far  out  into 
the  eddies  of  the  streams. 

One  of  the  natural  features  of  Alaska  amounts  to  a 
veritable  pestilence.  This  consists  of  the  clouds  of 
bloodthirsty  mosquitoes,  and  poisonous  black  flies. 
Swarms  of  these  pests  fairly  darken  the  sky,  and  often 
render  life  miserable  to  the  traveler,  who  is  obliged  to 
cover  his  face  even  in  the  hottest  weather  in  order  to 
shield  himself  from  his  tormentors.  They  infest  the 
country  from  May  to  September.  They  breed  in  the 
vast  network  of  slough  and  swamp.  Perhaps  the  most 
discouraging  feature  of  the  whole  country  is  presented 
in  a  tmthful  report  of  this  almost  intolerable  infliction. 
The  way  they  swarm  in  rear  and  front,  and  on  every 
side,  and  the  torture  they  inflict  on  the  explorers,  is 
beyond  all  adequate  description.  The  traveler  who  ex- 
poses his  face  will  very  soon  lose  his  natural  appear- 
ance. From  their  stings  and  bites  the  eyelids  swell  up 
and  close,  and  the  face  becomes  one  mass  of  lumps 
and  fiery  pimples. 

The  glaciers,  and  other  ice  phenomena  of  Alaska, 


54 


THE  GOLDEN  NORTH. 


will  be  considered  in  connection  with  the  entire  glacier 
regions  of  the  great  north  country,  and,  with  these  ex- 
ceptions, we  shall  now  bid  adieu  to  Alaska  so  far  as 
its  physical  features  and  agricultural  and  stock-raising 
capabilities  are  concerned,  and  turn  our  attention  once 
more  to  the  Golden  North,  lying  east  of  the  interna- 
tional boundary  line.  We  shall  return  to  Alaska  later, 
however,  to  study  its  seal  and  other  fisheries,  its  furs 
and  its  gold  fields,  and  to  speak  of  its  educational 
growth,  government,  and  general  industries. 


',  ■^<1 


UPPER  YUKON— LEWIS  RIVER. 


55 


CHAPTER  IX. 

UPPER  YUKON— LEWIS  RIVER. 

From  Lake  Bennett  to  the  head  of  the  Lewis — Down  the 
Lewis  to  the  Yukon — A  country  of  lakes  and  rivers — 
The  Klondike  region  proper — Its  extent — Rich  gold  dis- 
coveries eastward  from  the  Klondike — Dr.  Dawson's 
opinion  of  the  Klondike— Surveyor  Ogllvie's  explora- 
tions. 

The  reader  is  now  invited  to  leave  Alaska  behind  for 
the  present,  and  all  together,  so  far  as  its  physical 
features  and  natural  resources  are  concerned,  and  to 
accompany  the  writer  into  that  golden  northland  lying 
between  the  international  boundary  line  and  the 
sources  of  the  Mackenzie.  We  have  already  seen  much 
of  this  country,  but  must  now  study  it  at  greater  length, 
not  only  from  the  standpoint  of  its  natural  features, 
but  also  with  a  view  to  the  development  of  its  gold  and 
other  mineral  resources. 

It  has  already  been  intimated  in  this  volume  that 
the  gold  discoveries  of  the  Klondike  are  likely  to  be 
eclipsed  or  many  times  duplicated  by  equal  or  richer 
strikes  in  the  vast  country  to  the  east  of  that  imme- 
diate district,  and  even  beyond  the  watershed,  among 
the  many  creeks  and  river-branches  on  the  eastern 
slopes  of  the  Rockies,  and  throughout  the  foothills  at 
their  base.  This  statement  has  been  several  times  re- 
peated for  the  purpose  of  impressing  the  reader  with 
its  importance.  It  has  gone  out  from  some  quarters 
that  all  the  paying  sections  or  claims  of  the  Klondike, 
have  already  been  taken  up  or  staked  out,  and  that 
there  are  more  miners  in  the  country  than  there  are 
paying  gold  claims  to  be  worked.  This  is  sheer  non- 
sense. 

Dr.  G.  M.  Dawson,  president  of  the  Geological  sec- 


m 


■'' 


56 


THE  GOLDEN  NORTH 


tion  of  the  British  Association  for  the  Advancement  of 
Science,  and  chief  director  of  the  natural  history  and 
geological  survey  of  the  Dominion  of  Canada,  who 
has  traveled  more  extensively  throughout  the  upper 
Yukon  and  the  upper  Mackenzie  regions  than  any 
other  explorer,  with  the  possible  exception  of  William 
Ogilvie,  gave  his  opinion  of  the  extent  of  the  gold,  and 
mineral  deposits  generally,  of  the  far  northwest,  a  few 
days  ago  at  Toronto,  Ontario. 

Dr.  Dawson,  although  a  man  of  conservative  views 
on  almost  all  subjects,  has  become  an  enthusiast  on 
the  question  of  the  resources  of  the  Golden  North. 
Speaking  of  the  Klondike  country,  he  said: 

"The  Klondike  has  a  glorious  future,  a  period  to 
grow  bright  with  the  luster  of  unlimited  gold,  white 
with  the  sheen  of  enormous  quantities  of  silver  and 
ghttering  with  the  brilliancy  of  hundreds  of  valuable 
mineral  deposits." 

This  is  the  opinion  of  an  expert ;  but  of  course  it  is 
the  language  of  an  enthusiast.  It  is  seldom  that  one 
hears  such  extravagant  words  from  the  tongue  of  a 
geologist  of  such  eminence  as  Dr.  Dawson,  but  it  is 
impossible  for  one  who  is  able  to  read  lessons  in  nat- 
ural history  from  the  rocks  and  the  borders  of  rivers 
and  lakes,  to  travel  through  the  north  land,  comjjre- 
hending  its  wonderful  resources  as  he  must,  without 
becoming  enthusiastic,  and  writing  and  talking  in  ex- 
travagant terms.  Here  he  beholds  a  country  greater 
in  its  capabilities  of  sustaining  a  population  in  high 
latitudes  than  any  other,  in  any  part  of  the  earth.  And 
in  addition  to  this,  he  is  inspired  by  the  presence  of 
vast  deposits  of  precious  metals,  and  by  the  existence 
of  inexhaustible  coal  areas. 

On  the  occasion  referred  to  Dr.  Dawson  made  the 
following  interesting  and  instructive  statement: 

"Ten  years  ago  I  was  in  the  Klondike  region  as  the 
head  of  the  Royal  Survey  of  the  Dominion.  At  that 
time  the  gold-producing  qualities  of  the  locality  were 
but  little  known,  and  we  did  not  pay  especial  attention 


VI 


|iHli,»|i.J|.l^^J 


UPPER  YUKON— LEWIS  RIVER. 


57 


ik 


■3 


r 


to  the  locality  now  known  as  the  Klondike.  Our  sm*- 
vey  included  the  country  drained  by  the  Upper  Yukon 
River,  however.  We  spent  one  complete  summer 
there.  There  was  a  little  bar-mining  in  the  rivers,  but 
no  great  strikes  had  been  made,  although  just  after 
we  left  the  richness  of  Forty  Mile  Creek  was  found  out. 

"Speaking  on  '1  e  general  characteristics  of  the 
region,  I  should  not  hesitate  to  say  it  is  extremely  rich 
in  gold.  It  is  like  other  great  mining  districts  in  that 
the  alluvial  metal  waflid  down  by  the  streams  has 
been  first  discovered  and  collected.  But  the  mountains 
from  which  these  streams  rise  must  also  be  rich  in  gold. 
There,  some  day,  the  great  lodes  and  veins  of  aurifer- 
ous quartz  will  be  found  and  worked,  while  stamp  mills 
and  plants  of  machinery  will  be  scattered  thickly  about 
the  mountains.  But  this  quartz  must  yet  be  discov- 
ered. 

"The  western  part  of  British  Columbia  in  the  neigh- 
borhood of  Alaska  is  a  region  of  extraordinarily  com- 
plex and  varied  geological  conditions.  Our  survey,  of 
course,  merely  noted  the  general  features  in  evidence 
there.  It  would  take  years  of  labor  to  complete  the 
task  down  to  the  details.  But  all  kinds  of  minerals, 
judging  from  what  we  saw,  are  certain  to  be  discovered 
there,  and,  while  I  am  unwilling  to  predict  special 
finds  of  any  one  metal,  I  have  no  doubt  but  that  all  the 
more  common  ones  will  be  found  in  abundance.  Al- 
ready, silver  bearing  lead  ores  have  been  found,  and 
others  are  certain  to  follow.  I  have  no  doubt  but  that 
some  day  the  Klondike  will  be  a  great  silver-mining 
field. 

"As  for  the  story  published  in  the  newspapers  of  the 
discovery  of  a  great  petroleum  lake  surrounded  by 
hills  of  coal,  it  is  a  joke  to  a  scientific  man.  I  not  only 
do  not  think  there  is  any  such,  but  thihk  none  will  ever 
be  found.  But  coal  does  exist  in  the  Klondike  region.  I 
found  it  there  myself. 

"The  Yukon  is  not  such  a  bad  country  as  is  imagined 
by  a  great  many  people,  except  in  winter.  The  sum- 


yuota&u 


58 


THE  GOLDEN  NORTH. 


mer  climate  is  good,  though  it  does  not  last  very  long. 
The  country  is  pretty  and  green,  and  pleasant  to  work 
in.  Bait  the  winters  are  long  and  extremely  cold.  Al- 
together, the  weather  conditions  are  likely  to  prove 
far  from  being  rigoious  enough  to  prevent  the  mineral 
development  of  the  region. 

"The  task  is  a  tremendous  one.  With  the  extremely 
large  area  to  be  covered  and  the  difficulties  in  the 
way  ot  locomotion  and  transportation,  't  is  going  to 
require  considerable  time  and  great  labor  to  thor- 
oughly develop  the  region.  But  such  great  finds  of 
auriferous  gold  as  those  recently  made,  give  rise  to 
the  belief  that  the  coming  work  of  development  will 
be  extraordinarily  i;.ofitable." 

In  further  proof  of  the  rich  gold  deposits  eastward 
from  the  Klondike,  and  in  support  of  the  contention 
that  the  farther  the  prospector  penetrates  the  foothills 
of  the  western,  and  even  the  eastern  slop''  of  the  Mac- 
kenzie watershed,  the  richer  gold  strikes  he  will  meet 
with,  the  following  information  is  submitted,  gleaned 
from  a  letter  sent  out  by  one  of  the  miners  from  Daw- 
son City,  under  date  of  Jure  22,  1897. 

A  summary  of  this  letter  is  to  the  effect  that  "A  strike 
that  is  credited  with  show'ng  fabulously  rich  dirt  has 
been  made  on  an  imnamed  creek  60  miles  above  Klon- 
dike. Forty-seven  pounds  of  gold  were  taken  from  the 
hole,  and  ther'^  has  been  a  rush  of  the  luckless  ones 
from  Klondike  ^  the  new  diggings.  News  of  the  dis- 
covery reached  Juneau  on  August  7  in  a  letter  written 
by  James  O'Brien  to  W.  H.  Hindle.  O'Brien,  in  his 
brief  letter,  decJ^res  that  six  of  the  streatns  tributarN'  to 
the  Klondike  have  proved  richer  than  the  most  -an- 
guine had  predicted,  and  tha+  the  output  in  the  new 
field  more  than  redeemed  the  golden  promise  of  the 
Klondike.  O'Brien  s^ys  that  the  news  cf  the  find 
above  Klondike  had  only  reached  Dawson  City,  but 
thaL  he  i;aw  one  steamer  pull  out  for  the  new  diggings 
Vv'ith  :70  men  on  b-^ard." 

Ar-i  so  it  will  be,    Sill  richer  gold  fieldo  will  be  met 


UPPER  YUKON-LEWIS  RIVER. 


59 


with  as  the  mining  progresses  eastward,  until  placer 
and  quartz  will  be  profitably  carried  on  every wheie,  on 
both  sides  of  the  Rockies  in  that  golden  northland. 

An  account  of  the  expedition  to  the  far  northwest 
in  1887  and  the  years  following,  headed  by  Dr.  Daw- 
son and  Mr.  Ogilvie,  has  already  been  given.  How- 
ever, Mr.  Ogilvie  returned  to  the  country  in  1890  and 
is  still  there,  continuing  his  valuable  work  of  survey 
and  exploration.  A  description  of  the  region,  gleaned 
from  his  reports,  will  prove  of  considerable  value.  Our 
attention  is  first  directed  to  the  Lewis  River,  its  af- 
fluent streams  and  the  resources  of  the  adjacent  coun- 
try. Starting  at  the  head  of  Lake  Bennett,  one  may 
traverse  the  whole  Lewis  River  Basin.  Above  that 
point  and  between  it  and  Lake  Lindeman,  t^iere  is  only 
about  three-quarters  of  a  mile  of  river  which  is  not 
more  than  fifty  or  sixty  yards  wide  and  two  or  three 
feet  deep,  and  is  so  swift  and  rough  that  navigation  is 
rendered  very  difificult  and  almost  impossible.  Lake 
Lindeman  is  about  five  miles  long,  and  a  half  mile 
wide,  and  is  deep  enough  for  all  the  demands  of  navi- 
gation in  that  country.  Lake  Bennett,  at  the  head  of 
which  a  saw-mill  has  been  established,  and  where  lum- 
ber for  boat  building  is  now  being  sold  at  $100  per 
thousand  feet,  is  over  twenty-six  miles  long,  the  upper 
portion  being  very  narrow — not  more  than  a  half  mile 
wide.  Near  the  center  a  vast  arm  comes  in  from  the 
west.  This  Schwatka  mistook  for  a  river  and  named 
it  Wheaton  River.  This  arm  has  its  source  or  head  in 
a  glacier,  which  lies  in  the  pass  at  the  head  of  Chilkoot 
Inlet.  It  is  surrounded  by  high  mountains.  A  deep, 
wide  valley  extends  northwards  from  the  north  end  of 
Lake  Bennett,  extending  to  the  canyon  a  short  distance 
above  it.  The  waters  of  the  lake  empty  at  the  extreme 
northeast  angle  through  a  channel  not  more  than  one 
hundred  yards  wide,  and  later  it  expands  into  what 
Schwatka  called  Lake  Nares.  This  channel  has  a  swift 
current  and  is  about  seven  feet  deep.  The  ice  breaks 
up  in  Lake  Bennett  early  in  June,  frequently  by  the 


6o 


THE  GOLDEN  NORTH. 


¥  i; 


i 


!• 


first  of  the  month.  The  connecting  v/aters  between 
Lake  Bennett  and  Taj^ish  Lake  constitute  what  is  now 
called  Cariboo  Crossing. 

Lake  Nares  is  only  'wo  and  one-half  miles  long  and 
its  greatest  width  is  only  a  mile.  It  is  not  deep,  but 
is  navigable  for  boats  drawing  a  little  over 
five  feet  of  water.  It  is  separated  from  Lake 
Bennett  by  a  shallow  sand-point  of  not  more 
than  200  yards  in  length.  Strange  to  say,  no  streams 
of  any  consequence  flow  into  either  of  these  lakes. 
Lake  Nares  flov/s  through  a  narrow,  curved  channel 
into  Bove  Lake,  a  channel  not  more  than  600  or  700 
yards  long,  but  the  water  in  it  is  sufficiently  deep  for 
boats  that  can  navigate  either  of  the  lakes.  This  Bove 
Lake  is  the  Tagish  Lake  of  Dr.  Dawson.  It  is  about 
a  mile  wide  for  the  first  two  miles  of  its  length,  where 
it  is  joined  by  what  the  miners  have  properly  called 
the  Windy  Arm.  Here  the  lake  expands  to  a  width  of 
about  two  miles  for  a  distance  of  some  three  miles, 
when  it  suddenly  narrows  to  about  a  half  a  mile,  for  a 
distance  of  a  little  over  a  mile,  after  which  it  widens 
again.  Ten  miles  from  the  head  of  the  lake  it  is  joined 
by  the  Taku  Arm  from  the  south,  which  is  of  consid- 
erable length.  Dr.  Dawson  included  Bove  Lake  and 
both  of  these  arms  under  the  name  of  Tagish  Lake. 
.  From  the  junction  with  the  Taku  Arm  to  the  north 
end  of  the  hke,  'he  distance  is  about  six  miles,  the 
greater  part  be 'ng  over  two  miles  wide.  Where  the 
river  leaves  the  lake  it  is  about  150  yards  wide  and  for 
a  short  distance  not  more  than  five  or  six  feet  deep. 
It  soon  increases  to  ten  feet  or  more,  and  so  continues 
down  to  Mwd  Lake. 

Marsh  Lake,  the  next  in  prder,  is  about  nineteen 
miles  long  and  two  miles  wide.  The  piece  of  river 
connecting  Mud  Lake  with  Marsh  Lake  is  about  five 
miles  long  and  nearly  200  yards  wide.  Along  itc  banks 
are  situated  a  considerable  number  of  Indian  houses 
showing  some  pretension  and  skill  in  construction. 
They  are  now  in  ruins. 


t. 


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fcy. 


I 


UPPER  YUKON— LEWIS  RIVER. 


6i 


The  Lewis  River,  where  it  leaves  Marsh  Lake,  is 
about  2CX)  yards  wide,  and  averages  this  width  as  far 
as  the  canyon.  It  is  very  deep.  From  the  head  of  Lake 
Bennett  to  the  canyon,  the  distance  is  ninety-five  miles, 
all  of  which  is  navigable  for  bgats  drawing  five  feet  of 
water.  Below  the  canyon  proper  there  is  a  stretch  of 
rapids  about  a  mile  in  length,  then  about  a  half  mile  of 
smooth  water.  Following  these  are  the  White  Horse 
Rapids,  which  are  nearly  half  a  mile  long  and  unsafe 
for  boats.  The  total  fall  in  the  canyon  and  succeeding 
rapids  is  thirty-two  feet.  For  some  distance  below  the 
White  Horse  Rapids  the  current  is  swift  and  the  river 
wide,  with  many  gravel  bars.  But  little  prospecting 
has  yet  been  done  on  these  bars,  but  they  undoubtedly 
contain  valuable  gold  deposits. 

The  reach  between  these  rapids  and  Lake  Labarge, 
a  distance  of  some  twenty-seven  miles,  is  smooth  water 
but  with  a  strong  current.  The  average  width  through- 
out this  distance  is  about  1 50  yards.  About  midway  in 
this  stretch  the  Tahkeena  River  joins  the  Lewis.  It 
is  about  half  the  size  of  the  latter.  It  runs  through  a 
clayey  district.  It  has  its  source  in  a  lake  of  consider- 
able size,  and  may  be  navigated  up  to  that  point.  Lake 
Labarge  is  thirty-one  miles  long  and  is  of  various 
widths--from  four  miles  to  one.  The  width  of  the 
Lewis  River  where  it  leaves  this  lake  is  about  the 
same  as  its  entrance,  namely,  200  yards.  After  leaving 
Lake  Labarge,  the  river  for  a  distance  of  about  five 
miles  preserves  a  uniform  width  and  an  easy  current 
of  about  four  miles  an  hour.  It  then  turns  around  a 
low  gravel  point  and  flows  in  exactly  the  opposite  to 
its  general  course,  for  a  mile,  when  it  again  resumes 
its  general  direction.  The  current  around  this  bend  is 
very  swift,  reaching  several  miles  an  hour.  Not  far  be- 
low, the  Teslintoo  enters  the  Lewis.  This  is  a  very 
large  stream,  wider,  though  not  deeper,  than  the  Lewis 
above  the  junction.  There  are  a  considerable  number 
of  Indians  located  at  this  junction.  The  Teslintoo  is 
about  175  miles  long,  taking  its  rise  in  a  lake  'Ah'Vh 


62 


THE  GOLDEN  NORTH. 


has  not  yet  been  explored,  but  which  is  said  to  be  fully 
150  miles  )ong. 

Between  the  Teslintoo  and  the  Big  Salmon  the  dis- 
tance is  thirty-three  miles,  throughout  which  the  Lewis 
preserves  a  uniform  width  and  current.  The  Big  Sal- 
mon is  about  a  hundred  yards  wide  at  its  mouth,  and 
about  five  feet  deep.  Its  valley  is  wide  and  affords 
some  magnificent  scenery.  The  mountains  on  either 
side  tower  very  high  and  are  covered  with  perpetual 
snow.  Some  of  them  are  5,000  feet  above  the  valley. 
The  river  is  about  190  miles  long  to  its  lake  sources. 
The  course  of  the  Lewis  River  from  the  Tahkeena  to 
the  Big  Salmon  is  a  little  east  of  north.  At  the 
latter  point  it  turns  to  nearly  west,  and  so  continues 
for  some  distance,  when  its  course  to  the  confluence 
with  the  Pelly  becomes  northeast.  Thirty-six  miles 
below  the  Big  Salmon,  the  Little  Salmon  River  enters 
the  Lewis'.  It  is  about  sixty  yards  wide  at  its  mouth, 
but  not  more  than  two  or  three  feet  deep.  Eight  miles 
below  Little  Salmon  River  a  large  rock,  called  the 
Eagle's  Nest,  rises  from  a  gravel  slope  on  the  eastward 
bank  of  the  x  'ver  to  a  height  of  about  500  feet.  Thirty- 
two  miles  below  Eagle's  Nest  rocl^  Nordenskiold 
River  enters  from  the  w^est.  It  is  an  unimportant  river. 
A  curious  feature  of  the  Lewis  River,  some  distance 
below  the  mouth  of  the  last  stream  named,  is  the  Five 
Finger  Rapids,  so  called  from  the  fact  that  five  large 
masses  of  rock  stand  in  mid-channel.  About  two  miles 
below  these  rapids  the  Tatshum  River  enters  from  the 
east.  It  is  an  unimportant  stream.  The  Indians  are 
generally  engaged  hereabouts,  during  the  season,  in 
the  salmon  catch.  It  is  58  miles  from  the  Five  Finger 
Rapids  to  the  mouth  of  the  Pelly  River.  In  all  this 
distance  no  streams  of  importance  enter  the  Lewis.  At 
the  junction  with  the  Pelly,  the  Lewis  is  about  half  a 
mile  wide.  At  this  point  there  are  many  islands.  A 
mile  below  the  junction  of  the  Pelly  and  Lewis,  at  the 
ruins  of  Fort  Selkirk,  the  Yukon  is  565  yards  wide. 
About  two  thirds  of  this  width  is  over  ten  feet  deep, 


m 


t 


UPPER  YUKON— LEWIS  RIVER. 


63 


with  a  current  of  nearly  five  miles  an  hour.  Pelly  River 
at  its  mouth  is  about  200  yards  wide.  A  complete  de- 
scription of  the  Pelly  River  basin  is  given  by  Dr. 
Dawson  in  his  report  entitled  "Yukon  District  and 
Northern  British  Columbia." 

The  character  of  the  country  along  the  Yukon  River, 
from  the  junction  of  the  Lewis  and  Pelly  to  the  inter- 
national boundary  line  at  Seventy  Mile  Creek,  has  al- 
ready been  partially  described.  For  this  distance  the 
river  flows  in  a  generally  northwesterly  direction.  On 
the  southwest  side,  in  part,  but  principally  on  the 
northeast  side,  is  the  Klondike  country  proper.  The 
chief  settlements  on  the  river,  proceeding  from  the 
boundary,  are  Fort  Cudahy,  Forty  Mile  Post,  Dawson 
City,  near  the  junction  of  the  Klondike  River  v,^ith  the 
Yukon,  and  Sixty  Mile  Post,  at  the  junction  of  Sixty 
Mile  Creek  with  the  river.  There  are  a  vast  number 
of  creeks  flowing  into  the  Klondike,  all  of  them  gold- 
bearing.  These  rivers  and  creeks,  including  the  Stew- 
art River,  the  Indian  River,  the  Klondike  and  its 
branches,  find  their  sources  in  the  foothills  of  the 
Rocky  Mountains  north  of  the  Pelly  and  McMillan 
rivers.  This  stretch  of  gold-bearing  country  lies  be- 
tween the  136th  and  140th  degrees  of  longitude,  and  be- 
tween the  parallels  of  63.30  and  65  north  latitude.  In 
these  latitudes  the  length  of  the  degrees  of  longitude 
is  about  thirty-two  miles,  thus  making  the  Klondike 
country  proper  about  130  miles  from  east  to  west,  by 
a  little  over  a  hundred  miles  frc*^  north  to  south.  Only 
a  very  small  portion  of  this  territory  has  yet  been 
searched  by  the  prospectors;  and,  of  course,  the  vast 
gold-bearing  regions,  both  north  and  south  and  princi- 
pally to  the  east  of  this  section,  have,  as  yet,  been  but 
partially  explored  by  surveyors. 


64 


THE  GOLDEN  NORTH. 


)1 


% 


CHAPTER  X. 

UPPER  YUKON  AND  TRIBUTARIES. 

The  North  Country  from  the  International  Boundary  to  the 
junction  of  the  Lewis  and  Pelly— The  Stewart  River- 
Other  streams— Sixty  Mile  River— The  Klondike  River 
and  tributary  creeks— Forty  Mile  River. 

It  will  prove  useful  to  one  studying  the  physical 
features  of  the  auriferous  areas  of  the  Klondike  region 
to  make  some  further  observations  on  the  country 
lying  between  the  international  boundary  line  and  the 
junction  of  the  Lewis  and  Pelly  rivers,  before  ascend- 
ing the  basin  of  the  latter  stream. 

It  is  ninety-six  miles  from  Selkirk  to  White  River. 
On  this  stretch  islands  are  numerous.  Some  of  them 
are  of  considerable  size,  and  the  greater  part  are  well 
timbered.  Bars  are  numerous,  nearly  all  being  com- 
poced  oi  gravel.  White  River  enters  the  main  stream 
from  the  west.  At  its  mouth  it  is  about  200  yards  wide. 
A  great  portion  of  it  here,  however,  is  filled  with  con- 
stantly shifting  sand-bars,  the  main  current  being  con- 
fined to  a  channel  not  more  than  100  yards  in  width. 
The  current  is  very  strong.  The  valley  of  this  river 
runs  due  west  for  over  eight  miles;  thence  it  bears  to 
the  southwest.  It  is  about  two  mile?  wide  and  holds 
that  width  for  most  of  its  length. 

There  is  much  clay  soil  along  the  White  River 
banks.  The  stream  takes  its  rise  further  up  than  the 
source  of  Forty  Mile  River,  but  near  the  same  valley, 
and  probably  in  the  Mentasia  Pass,  between  which 
and  the  head  waters  of  the  Tanana  River  there  are 
mountain  ranges.  The  length  of  this  stream  is  not 
yet  fully  determined. 

Between  White  and  Stewart  rivers,  a  distance  of  ten 
miles,  the  Yukon  is  a  mile  wide  and  is  a  maze  of  islands 


1 
1 


I'i 


mm 


^  1 


UPPER  YUKON  AND  TRIBUTARIES.  65 

and  1  rs.  The  main  channel  is  along  the  westerly 
shore.  Stewart  River  enters  from  the  east,  from  the 
center  of  a  wide  valley  with  low  hills  on  both  sides 
rising  in  steps  or  terraces.  The  river,  a  little  distance 
above  its  mouth,  is  two  hundred  yards  wide.  The  cur- 
rent is  not  strong.  A  miner  named  Alexander  Mc- 
Donald, of  New  Brunswic!:,  spent  a  whole  summ.er  on 
this  river  and  its  vicinity,  prospecting  with  good  re- 
sults. He  states  that  about  seventy  miles  up  the  Stew- 
art a  large  creek  enters  from  the  south,  to  which  he 
gave  the  name  of  Rose  Bud  River,  and  that  about  forty 
miles  further  up  a  large  stream  flows  from  the  north- 
east. This  is  no  doubt  Beaver  River.  From  the  head 
of  this  stream  one  may  float  down  to  the  mouth,  in  a 
canoe  or  on  a  raft,  in  five  days,  which  indicates  that  the 
stream  is  over  200  miles  in  length.  It  is  from  sixty  to 
seventy  yards  wide  and  is  about  four  or  five  feet  deep. 
The  current  is  not  strong.  Above  this  stream  the  Stew- 
art is  considerably  over  one  hundred  yards  wide,  with 
an  even  current,  and  clear  water.  Sixty  or  seventy 
miles  above  the  branch  mentioned  a  large  river  joins 
it,  though  Mr.  Ogilvie  thinks  this  may  be  the  main 
stream.  At  the  head  of  it  is  a  lake  thirty  miles  long 
and  about  a  mile  and  a  half  in  width,  which  has  been 
called  Mayhew  Lake.  Thirty  miles  on  the  other 
branch  there  are  falls  estimated  to  be  two  hundred 
feet  in  height.  Overcoming  these  falls  by  a  portage, 
one  may  proceed  to  the  head  of  this  stream  where  are 
terraced  gravel  hills  which  are  filled  with  virgin  gold 
in  paying  quantities.  Crossing  these,  the  traveler  will 
find  a  river  flowing  to  the  north.  On  this,  he  may  em- 
bark and  float  down  to  some  point,  no  one  yet  knows 
where,  as  the  stream  has  not  been  explored. 

Returning  to  the  head  waters  of  the  stream  in  the 
gold  bearing  hills  just  mentioned,  the  prospector  may 
travel  westward  over  a  high  range  of  mountains,  com- 
posed of  shales  with  many  thin  seams  of  gold  bearing 
quartz.  On  the  west  side  of  this  range  there  is  a  river 
flowing  out  of  a  large  lake.  Crossing  this  to  the  head 
6 


66 


THE  GOLDEN  NORTH. 


r 


of  Beaver  River,  one  may  descend  to  the  main  stream, 
and  to  the  Yukon.  It  is  supposed  that  the  river  flow- 
ing to  the  north  over  the  gold  hills  mentioned,  is  one 
of  the  branches  of  the  Peel  River.  It  is  evident  that 
light  draught  steamers  can  navigate  the  whole  of  Stew- 
art River  and  its  principal  tributaries. 

From  Stewart  River  to  the  site  of  Fort  Reliance,  on 
the  YukoUj  a  little  over  seventy-three  miles,  the  great 
river  is  broad  and  full  of  islands.  Its  average  width  is 
half  a  mile,  but  there  are  many  expansions  where  it  is 
over  a  mile  in  breadth. 

There  are  many  islands  in  these  wide  stretches  of 
the  Yukon.  About  twenty  miles  below  the  Stewart, 
Sixty  Mile  Creek  enters.  The  banks  of  this  stream 
are  well  stocked  with  virgin  gold,  and  from  the  gravel 
much  of  the  treasure  has  already  been  taken  by  min- 
ers. Sixty  Mile  Creek  is  a  hundred  miles  in  length, 
very  crooked,  and  has  a  swift  current.  Miller,  Glacier, 
Gold,  Little  Gold,  and  Bed  Rock  creeks  are  all  tribu- 
taries of  Sixty  Mile.  Very  rich  discoveries  of  gold 
have  been  made  on  these  streams,  but  much  of  it  has 
already  been  mined.  There  is  a  claim  on  Miller  Creek, 
from  which  over  $100,000  worth  of  gold  has  been 
taken.  Freight  for  this  mining  district  is  taken  up 
Forty  Mile  Creek  in  summer,  for  a  distance  of  over 
thirty  miles,  and  is  then  portaged  across  to  the  head 
of  Miller  and  Glacier  creeks.  In  winter  it  is  hauled 
in  by  dogs.  The  trip  from  Cudahy  to  the  Post  at  the 
mouth  of  Sixty  Mile  River,  is  made  by  ascending  Forty 
Mile  Creek  a  little  distance,  making  a  short  portage 
to  Sixty  Mile  River,  and  running  down  with  its  swift 
current.  Coming  back  on  the  Yukon,  nearly  the  whole 
round  trip  is  made  down  strear\ 

Indian  Creek  enters  the  Yuk.>n  from  the  east  about 
thirty  miles  below  Sixty  Mile  River.  It  is  rich  in  gold 
and  has  already  been  extensively  mined.  It  was 
neglected  for  some  time,  owing  to  the  difficulty  of  get- 
ting supplies  to  the  mining  camps.  At  the  mouth  of 
Sixty  Mile  River  a  town  site  has  been  laid  out,  called 


'Mm 


68 


THE  GOLDEN  NORTH. 


Sixty  Mile.  It  has  been  the  headquarters  of  many 
miners,  most  of  whom,  however,  have  recently  moved 
further  to  the  east.  There  is  a  saw  mill  and  trading 
post  at  the  mouth  of  the  river. 

Six  and  a  half  miles  above  Fort  Reliance,  the  Klon- 
dike River  enters  the  Yukon.  It  is  a  small  stream — 
about  forty  yards  wide  at  its  mouth,  and  quite  shal- 
low. The  water,  however,  is  clear  and  transparent, 
and  of  a  beautiful  blue  color.  The  stream  is  filled  with 
salmon,  and  from  it  the  Indians  reap  a  rich  harvest 
of  the  king  of  fish  every  season.  This  river  and  its 
creek  tributaries  have  been  fully  explored  by  pros- 
pectors, and  upon  their  banks  and  bottoms  some  of 
the  richest  gold  claims  ever  located  have  been  de- 
veloped. It  is  all  placer  mining  here.  Many  fortunes 
have  been  made  in  the  Klondike  within  the  past  year, 
and  as  these  lines  are  penned  (August,  1897)  gold  is 
being  taken  from  the  gravel  and  dirt  of  the  region, 
probably  at  the  rate  of  $100,000  a  day,  or  more. 

Twelve  and  a  half  miles  below  Fort  Reliance  the 
Chandindu  River,  as  it  was  named  by  Schwatka,  en- 
ters from  the  east.  It  is  thirty  to  i  ty  yards  wide  at 
the  mouth,  very  shallow,  and  for  half  a  mile  up  is  one 
continuous  rapid.  Its  valley  is  wide  and  can  be  seen 
for  a  long  distance  looking  north-eastward  from  the 
mouth. 

Between  Fort  Reliance  and  Forty  Mile  River  the 
Yukon  assumes  its  normal  appearance,  having  fewer 
islands  and  being  narrower,  averaging  four  to  six 
hundred  yards  wide,  and  the  current  being  more  regu- 
lar. This  stretch  is  forty-six  miles  long,  but  was  es- 
timated by  the  traders  at  forty,  from  which  the  Forty 
Mile  River  took  its  name. 

Forty  Mile  River  joins  the  Yukon  from  the  west. 
Forty  Mile  townsite  is  located  at  its  mouth.  The 
Alaska  Commercial  Company  has  a  station  here.  There 
are  also  several  blacksmith  shops,  restaurants,  billiard 
halls,  bakeries,  an  opera  house  and  so  on.  Rather 
more  than  half  a  mile  below  Forty  Mile  townsite,  the 


UPPER  YUKON  AND  TRIBUTARIES. 


69 


town  of  Cudahy  was  founded  on  the  north  side  of 
Forty  Mile  River,  in  the  summer  of  1892.  It  is  named 
after  a  well  known  member  of  the  North  American 
Transportation  and  Trading  Company.  In  population 
and  extent  of  business  the  town  bears  comparison 
with  its  neighbor  across  the  river.  The  opposition  in 
trade  has  been  the  means  of  very  materially  reducing 
the  cost  of  supplies  and  living.  The  North  American 
Transponation  and  Trading  Company  has  erected  a 
saw-mill  and  some  extensive  warehouses.  Fort  Con- 
stantine  was  established  here  immediately  upon  the 
arrival  of  the  Mounted  Police  detachment  in  the  latter 
part  of  July,  1895. 

Forty  Mile  River  has  a  general  southwest  course, 
as  far  up  as  the  international  boundary  line,  a  distance 
of  twenty-three  miles.  From  this  point  it  runs  more 
from  the  south.  The  stream  has  been  ascended  for 
more  than  one  hundred  miles.  It  is  only  a  short  dis- 
tance from  the  head  of  this  river  across  to  the  Tanana, 
a  large  tributary  of  the  Yukon.  Only  twenty-three 
miles  of  Forty  Mile  River  are  in  Canada.  The  greater 
part  of  it  is  in  Alaska.  It  is  nearly  a  hundred  and 
fifty  yards  wide  at  its  mouth,  and  the  current  is  gen- 
erally strong,  with  many  small  rap  ds.  There  is  a 
canyon  about  eight  miles  up  this  stream.  At  the  lower 
end  of  it  is  a  swift  current  in  which  are  some  rocks 
that  cannot  be  seen  by  the  descending  voyager,  owing 
to  a  sudden  bend  in  the  river.  Several  miners  have 
been  drowned  in  this  rapid  by  their  canoes  or  boats 
being  dashed  to  pieces  on  the  rocks.  Between  Forty 
Mile  River  and  the  boundary  line,  no  streams  of  any 
size  join  the  Yukon. 


IP" 


mm' 


70 


THE  GOLDEN  NORTH. 


CHAPTER  XL 

UPPER  YUKON-AGRICULTURE  AND  TIMBER. 

Only  a  small  proportion  of  the  region  available  for  cereal 
and  vegetable  crops— Considerable  areas  of  timber  suit- 
able for  manufacturing  purposes— An  abundance  of  trees 
for  firewood  and  for  all  mining  necessities. 

The  agricultural  capabilities  of  the  upper  Yukon 
basin  are  not  great.  Hence  the  miners  in  that  region 
will  be  compelled  to  draw  most  of  their  supplies  of 
bread  and  meat,  vegetables  and  dairy  products  from 
markets  far  to  the  south,  until  the  fertile  valleys  to 
east  and  west  have  been  cultivated  and  developed.  The 
land  is  not  of  a  very  good  quality  hereabouts,  and 
the  climate  is  not  favorable  to  the  growth  of  cereals  or 
vegetables. 

The  temperature  records  show  an  average  of  8  de- 
grees of  frost  for  August.  The  meteorological  rec- 
ord for  September  places  the  mercury  considerably 
below  freezing  point  Along  the  east  side  of  Lake 
Bennett,  opposite  the  Chilkoot,  there  are  quite  ex- 
tensive flats  of  dry,  gravelly  soil,  where  farming  can  be 
carried  on  to  a  limited  extent.  On  the  west  side, 
around  the  mouth  of  Wheaton  River,  there  is  a  very 
extensive  flat  of  sand  and  gravel,  covered  with  pine 
and  spruce  of  a  small  growth.  The  vegetation  is  poor 
and  sparse.  At  the  lower  end  of  the  lake  there  is  an« 
other  extensive  flat  of  sandy  soil,  thinly  covered  with 
small  poplars  and  pines. 

There  are  great  tracts  of  low,  marshy  land  on  the 
westerly  shore  of  Tagish  Lake,  which  will,  no  doubt, 
prove  very  productive.  The  same  may  be  said  of  the 
western  borders  of  Marsh  Lake,  which  district  is  pretty 
well  covered  with  native  grasses.    Along  the  head  of 


UPPER  YUKON— AGRICULTURE,  ETC. 


71 


the  river  below  Marsh  Lake,  there  are  extensive  flats 
on  both  sides.  There  the  soil  is  good,  and  the  growth 
of  forest  trees  and  under  brush  is  healthy  and  well  de- 
veloped.   In  that  region  agriculture  will  thrive. 

As  we  approach  the  canyon  the  banks  become  higher, 
and  the  bottom  lands  less  extensive.  Here  the  soil  is 
light  and  sandy  on  both  sides.  Between  the  canyon 
and  Lake  Labarge  there  is  not  much  land  of  value. 
At  the  head  of  the  lake  there  is  an  extensive  flat,  pretty 
well  covered  with  timber  that  is  much  larger  and  bet- 
ter than  any  met  with  above  this  point.  Poplars  eight 
and  ten  inches  thick,  are  common,  and  there  is  a  con- 
siderable quantity  of  spruce  from  fifteen  to  sixteen 
inches  in  diameter.  The  soil,  however,  is  not  very 
good,  and  vegetation  is  sparse.  Some  distance  down 
the  lake  the  soil  and  vegetation  show  great  improve- 
ment. On  the  lower  end  of  the  lake  there  is  a  large 
plain  well  suited  to  agricultural  pursuits.  Northward 
from  the  end  of  the  lake,  Ogilvie  Valley  stretches  out 
to  a  vast  extent.  Here  the  soil  is  good  and  the  timber 
of  large  size.  About  forty  miles  above  the  mouth  of 
the  Pelly  there  are  extensive  flats  on  both  sides  of 
the  Lewis  River.  The  soil  is  poor  and  sandy,  with 
small  open  timber  consisting  of  spruce  and  popular. 
For  many  miles  up  the  Pelly  and  down  the  Yukon, 
from  the  junction,  there  is  an  extensive  plateau,  two 
or  three  hundred  feet  above  the  river.  On  this,  the  soil 
is  good  for  pasturage  only.    It  is  very  lightly  timbered. 

Between  Pelly  and  White  rivers,  there  is  an  exten- 
sive flat  of  many  thousand  acres.  It  is  quite  heavily 
timbered,  and  as  the  surface  is  covered  with  a  heavy 
layer  of  moss,  the  frost  never  leaves  the  ground.  At 
Stewart  River  there  is  another  large  flat  to  which  the 
same  remarks  will  apply.  Thence  to  Fort  Reliance 
there  are  no  flats  of  any  size.  Above  the  river,  in  most 
of  this  region,  there  are  extensive  wooded  slopes, 
which,  when  cleared,  will  no  doubt  be  quite  well 
adapted  to  cereal  and  vegetable  productions. 

At  Fort  Reliance  there  is  a  flat  of  about  2,000  acres, 


Hi! 


i  • 


THE  GOLDEN  NORTH. 


and  at  the  mouth  of  Forty  IMile  River  there  is  another, 
but  not  as  large.  All  the  rivets  of  this  part  of  the 
country  are  cleared  of  ice  from  the  25th  of  May  to 
the  1st  of  June.  The  extent  of  tillable  lands  in  the 
uppe-  Yukon  region  bears  a  very  small  proportion  to 
the  areas  which  are  practically  worthless  for  agricul- 
tural purposes,  but  the  timber  is  sufficient  in  quantity 
^md  quality  for  the  necessities  of  a  mining  country. 
Frobahly  not  more  than  250,000  acres  or  1,000  farms 
of  workable  lands  could  be  located  in  that  part  of  the 
corntry.  This  is  exclusive  of  the  available  lands  at  the 
junction  of  the  Pelly  and  Lewis  r'^ers,  where  the  tract 
is  sufficien^^ly  large  to  lay  ouc  about  2,000  farms. 

The  amount  of  timber  in  the  district  suitable  foi 
building  and  manufacturing  is  considerable;  for  fire 
wood,  and  use  in  the  mines,  there  is  an  abundance. 
There  is  a  great  deal  of  excellent  timber  on  the  islands 
in  the  'fukon.  On  ;.nese  the  soil  is  warmer  and  richer, 
the  sun's  rays  striking  the  surface  for  a  much  longer 
time,  and  more  directly,  than  on  the  banks. 

At  the  confluence  with  the  Pelly,  on  the  east  side  of 
the  river,  there  is  a  grove  of  spru'ze  from  which  some 
very  nice  lumber  could  be  made,  and  on  the  islands 
below  this  point,  much  of  the  same  class  of  timber 
exists.  Near  White  and  Stewart  rivers  there  is  a  good 
deal  of  nice  ciean  timber,  but  it  is  small.  There  is 
more  good  timber  on  Stewart  River,  in  proportion  to 
the  ground  wooded,  thari  on  the  main  river.  Between 
Stewart  Ri  er  and  the  boundary  there  is  not  so  much 
surface  co  ered  with  large  trees  as  on  many  of  the 
flats  above  it,  the  valley  being  generally  narrower, 
and  the  sides  steeper,  than  higher  up  the  river.  This, 
of  "ourse,  precludes  the  growth  of  timber. 

The  whrle  country  stretching  from  the  international 
boundj»ry  line  to  the  summit  of  the  Rockies,  includ- 
ing the  basin?  of  the  upper  Yukon,  the  Pelly  and  Lewis 
rivers,  and  the  regions  between  them  and  to  the  north 
of  the  Pelly,  is  timbered  in  about  the  same  manner. 
In  some  localities  the  trees  are  workable  for  building 


'«;iw#. 


^i^i^i^t^f^.:,-^. 


UPPER  YUKON— AGRICULTURE,  ETC. 


73 


purposes;  but  the  greater  part  of  the  forests  is  avail- 
able only  for  fire  wood,  mining  purposes,  log  houses, 
and  the  like.  However,  there  is  an  abundance  of  it 
for  these  requirements. 


d 


iHaH 


its. 


74 


THE  GOLDEN  NORTH. 


ir 


I! 


M 


CHAPTER  XII. 

WEALTH  OF  THE  KLONDIKE. 

Inexhaustible  deposits  of  placer  and  quartz  gold— The  sil- 
ver-bearing rock — Vast  coal  fields — Reports  of  govern- 
ment officials  that  read  like  tales  of  the  Arabian  Nights 
—Sensational  reports  of  Explorer  Ogilvie. 

Probably  no  stretch  of  country  of  equal  area  on  the 
earth  is  so  rich  in  the  precious  metals,  and  minerals 
generally,  including  coal,  as  that  of  the  upper  Yukon 
and  the  basins  of  the  Pelly  and  Lewis  rivers.  Only  a 
small  part  of  this  vast  region  has  yet  been  explored, 
but  it  has  been  sufficiently  gone  over  by  natural  his- 
tory and  mining  experts  to  demonstrate  that  the  whole 
district  is  of  the  same  auriferous  and  mineral  bearing 
character.  While  some  river-beds  and  banks  are  richer 
than  others,  there  is  scarcely  a  square  mile  of  this  great 
territory  that  cannot  be  profitably  worked  for  some 
precious  metal  or  other  valuable  mineral  .deposit. 

Most  of  the  region  is  rich  in  virgin  gold.  Silver 
predominates  in  some  of  the  districts,  and  there  is  an 
abundance  of  good  coal.  Silver  frequently  abounds  in 
the  immediate  neighborhood  of  rich  placer-gold  de- 
posits. This  is  true  of  Forty  Mile  River.  About  two 
miles  from  its  mouth,  where  there  are  extensive  ex- 
posures of  white  and  gray  limestone,  many  seams  and 
pockets  of  galena  have  been  discovered.  One  of  these 
seams  has  been  traced  and  found  to  be  of  vast  extent. 
Specimens  assayed  show  nearly  forty  ounces  of  silver 
to  the  ton.  The  silver  mines  here,  as  elsewhere  in 
that  country,  are  known  to  be  very  rich.  ^Specimens 
recently  assayed  show  as  high  as  two  hundred  ounces 
to  the  ton.  All  of  these  specimens  were  found  by  ac- 
cident. A  closer  examination  of  the  silver  deposits 
will,  no  doubt,  reveal  more  valuable  seams.    Dr.  Daw- 


WEALTH  OF  THE  KLONDIKE. 


75 


son  declares  that  almost  fabulous  silver  deposits  exist 
in  that  country. 

Aside  from  the  rich  placer-gold  deposits,  which  have 
yielded  so  much  wealth  during  the  past  year,  equally 
rich  quartz  gold  strikes  have  been  made;  but  as  the 
region  is  still  inaccessible  for  quartz  mining  machin- 
ery no  development  has  yet  been  made  on  this  line. 
Both  gold  and  silver-bearing  quartz  has  been  discov- 
ered near  Sixty  Mile  River.  A  specimen  of  gold-bear- 
ing quartz,  found  near  White  River,  assayed  the 
enormous  value  of  $20,000  to  the  ton.  This  specimen 
was  taken  from  a  seam  nearly  2,000  feet  above  the 
Yukon  water-level.  Tliere  is  also  an  extensive  ledge 
of  gold-bearing  quartz  on  the  west  side  of  the  Yukon, 
not  far  above  Stewart  River.  There  is  also  an  extensive 
exposure  of  gold-bearing  rock  not  far  from  Lake  Ben- 
nett. Specimens  of  this  have  assayed  $9.00  of  gold  and 
$1.00  of  silver  to  the  ton.  Mr.  Ogilvie  says,  however, 
that  this  rock-area  is  near  Lake  Tagish. 

So  far  as  explorations  have  been  made  upon  which 
a  reasonable  estimate  can  be  based,  there  are  4,000 
miles  of  stream  in  the  upper  Yukon  district  upon 
which  placer-gold  can  be  profitably  worked.  The  un- 
explored regions  will  probably  add  5,000  miles  to  this 
river  and  creek  extent.  Mr.  Ogilvie,  writing  of  his 
explorations  in  1887,  says: 

"About  eighteen  miles  below  the  Teslintoo,  I  saw 
the  first  place  that  had  been  worked  for  gold.  Here  a 
hut  had  been  erected,  and  there  were  indications  that 
a  party  had  wintered  there.  Between  it  and  Big  Sal- 
mon River  six  other  locations  were  met  with.  One 
of  them  named  Cassiar  Bar,  was  worked  in  the  season 
of  1886,  by  a  party  of  four,  ^vho  took  out  $6,000  in 
thirty  days.  They  were  working  there  when  I  passed 
in  1887,  but  stated  that  all  they  could  get  that  season 
was  about  $10  per  day. 

"Two  of  this  party  subsequently  went  down  to  Forty 
Mile  River,  where  I  met  one  of  them.  He  was  a 
Swede,  and  had  been  gold-mining  for  upwards  of 


I 

i 

I 

i 


1      ^'i 


I    I 


It 


1 


76 


THE  GOLDEN  NORTH. 


twenty-five  years  in  California  and  British  ("olumbia. 
He  gave  me  his  opinion  on  the  district  in  these  words: 
*I  never  saw  a  country  where  there  was  so  much  gold, 
and  so  evenly  distributed ;  no  place  is  very  rich,  but  no 
place  is  very  poor;  every  man  can  make  a  "grub  stake" 
(that  is  enough  to  feed  and  clothe  him  for  a  year), 
which  is  more  than  I  can  say  of  the  other  places  I  have 
been  in.' 

'In  conversation  with  Mr.  Boswell,  who,  as  already 
stated,  has  prospected  the  Teslintoo,  or  Newberry 
River,  in  the  summer  of  1887,  I  learned  that  the  whole 
length  of  that  river  yielded  fine  gold,  generally  at  the 
rate  of  $8  to  $10  per  day;  but  as  the  miners'  great 
desideratum  is  coarse  gold,  thev  do  not  remain  long 
in  a  countr}^  in  which  only  the  fine  gold  is  found — 
generally  no  longer  than  is  necessary  to  make  a  'grub 
stake/  unless  gold  is  in  unusually  large  quantities. 
Mr.  Boswell  therefore  went  to  the  lower  part  of  the 
river,  having  heard  the  reports  of  rich  finds.  Stewart 
River  was  the  first  in  the  district  on  which  mining  to 
any  extent  was  done.  In  1886  there  were  quite  a  num- 
ber of  miners  on  it  engaged  in  washing  gold,  and  they 
all  appear  to  have  done  fairly  well. 

"I  have  heard  the  amount  of  gold  taken  from  Stew- 
art River  in  1885  and  1886  estimated  at  various 
amounts.  One  estimate  was  $300,000.  The  highest 
amount  I  lieard  as  representing  one  man's  earnings 
was  about  $6,000.  This  may  be  true,  as  m,any  agree 
that  $30  per  day,  per  man,  was  common  on  many  of 
the  bars  of  the  river,  and  instances  of  as  high  as  $100 
per  day  having  been  earned,  were  spoken  of.  The  only 
mining  done  on  vStewart  River  was  on  the  bars  in  the 
river;  the  bench  and  bank  bars  were  liI  timbered  and 
frozen,  so  that  to  work  them  would  entail  a  re;  ort  to 
hydraulic  mining,  for  which  there  was  no  machinery 
in  the  country. 

"During  the  fall  of  1886,  three  or  four  miners  com- 
bined and  got  the  owners  of  tlie  'New  Racket'  steam- 
boat to  allow  the  use  of  her  engines  to  work  pumps 


WEALTH  OF  tHE  KLONDIKE. 


11 


''S 


e 
d 


for  sluicing  with.  The  boat  was  hauled  up  on  a  bar, 
her  engines  detached  from  the  wheels,  and  made  to 
drive  a  set  of  pumps  manufactured  on  the  ground, 
which  supplied  water  for  a  set  of  sluicing  boxes.  With 
this  crude  machinery,  in  less  than  a  month,  the  miners 
cleared  $i,ooo  each  and  paid  an  equal  amount  to  the 
owners  of  the  boat  as  their  share. 

"Many  of  the  miners  who  had  spent  1886  on  Stew- 
art River,  and  1887  on  Forty  Mile  River,  seemed  to 
think  the  former  the  better  all-round  mining  field,  as 
there  were  no  such  failures  there  as  on  Forty  Mile, 
and  they  declared  their  intention  to  make  their  way 
1:o  the  Stewart,  for  the  season  of  1888.  Forty  Mile 
River  is  the  only  river  in  the  district  on  which,  up  to 
the  fall  of  1888,  coarse  gold  had  been  found,  and  it 
may  be  said  that  much  of  it  can  hardly  claim  that  dis- 
tinctive title.  The  largest  nugget  found  was  worth 
about  $39.  It  was  lost  on  the  body  of  a  miner  who 
was  drowned  at  the  canyon. 

"The  miners  term  Forty  Mile  a  'bed-rock'  creek — 
that  is,  one  in  the  bed  of  which  there  is  little  or  no 
drift,  Or  detrital  matter,  the  bottom  of  the  river  being 
bed-rock.  In  many  places  this  rock  has  been  scraped 
with  knives  by  the  miners,  in  order  to  gather  the 
small  amount  of  detritus  and  its  accompanying  gold. 
Very  little  of  the  gold  on  this  creek  was  found  in 
Canadian  territory,  the  coarsest  gold  being  found  well 
up  the  river.  The  river  had  been  prospected  in  1887 
for  upwards  of  one  hundred  miles,  and  gold  found  all 
the  way  up.  The  great  point  with  a  miner  is  to  find 
where  the  gold  comes  from.  To  this  end  he  has  to 
reach  a  point  on  the  river  where  there  is  none ;  then  he 
knows  he  has  passed  the  source,  and  will  search  in 
side  valle^  s  and  gulches.  The  theory  seems  to  be  that 
the  gold  IS  stored  up  somewhere  and  dribbled  out 
along  the  river.  Pieces  of  gold-bearing  quartz  had 
frequently  been  picked  up  along  the  river  in  the  shal- 
low drift,  but  none  had  been  found  in  place,  nor  did 
it  appear  to  me  that  much  search  had  been  made  for  it. 


i  \n 


Pi  i 


78 


THE  GOLDEN  NORTH. 


Near  the  mouth  of  the  river,  there  is  an  extensive  flat 
of  detrital  matter  through  which  a  couple  of  small 
creeks  flow.  This  is  all  said  to  be  gold-bearing,  and 
it  was  thought,  would  pay  well  for  sluicing.  Accord- 
ingly, a  couple  of  claimants  had  staked  off  claims  at  the 
mouth  of  the  creeks  and  intended  to  try.  sluicing  in  the 
season  of  1888. 

"I  think  it  may,  with  confidence,  be  asserted  that  rich 
finds  will  yet  be  made  of  both  coarse  gold  and  gold- 
bearing  quartz.  It  is  not  likely  in  the  nature  of  things 
that  such  a  vast  extent  of  country  should  have  all  its 
fine  gold  deposited  as  sediment,  brought  from  a  dis- 
tance in  past  ages.  If  this  is  not  the  case,  the  matrix, 
from  which  all  gold  on  these  streams  has  come,  must 
still  exist,  in  part  at  least,  and  will  no  doubt  be  discov- 
ered, and  thus  enrich  this  otherwise  gloomy  and  deso- 
late region.  There  are  many  bank  and  bench  bars 
along  the  rivers,  which  would  pay  well  if  sluiced,  but 
there  is  yet  no  convenient  or  economical  way  of  get- 
ting water  on  them,  and  there  is  no  pumping  machin- 
ery as  yet  in  the  country." 

It  is  now  nine  years  since  the  above  was  written  by 
this  veteran  explorer  of  the  far  northwest,  and  we,  who 
study  the  region  to-day,  see  how  completely  Mr.  Ogil- 
vie's  predictions  have  been  realized.  This  explorer 
and  surveyor  re-entered  the  country  in  1895,  and  con- 
tinued his  work  of  locating  the  boundary  line,  and  of 
defining  the  rivers  and  lakes  of  the  Klondike  district. 
He  also  surveyed  several  townsites,  incuiding  Cudahy, 
Forty  Mile  and  Dawson,  and  one  or  two  mission  posts. 
In  1895-6  he  made  full  investigations  as  to  the  coal 
deposits,  and  found  them  to  be  of  great  extent  and 
good  quality.  On  Coal  Creek  one  seam  was  found  to 
be  twelve  feet  six  inches  thick. 

An  extensive  copper-bearing  vein  was  found  near 
the  Klondike  above  Fort  Reliance.  Asbestos  was 
also  discovered  in  paying  quantities.  In  1895  the 
placer  diggings  had  greatly  increased.  A  survey  of 
the  Cone  Hill  quartz  gold  mine  was  made  in  1895, 


WEALTH  OF  THE  KLONDIKE. 


79 


and  assays  of  the  quartz  taken  from  the  mine  proved 
exceedingly  satisfactory.  The  quantity  of  gold-bear- 
ing rock  in  this  mine  will  not  be  exhausted  for  genera- 
tions. Its  extent  and  richness  place  the  great  Tread- 
well  mine  of  Juneau,  Alaska,  far  in  the  shade.  Other 
paying  quartz  gold  claims  were  located  on  Twelve 
Mile  Creek  in  the  same  year.  These  deposits  are  even 
richer  than  at  Cone  Hill.  In  1895  it  became  evident 
that  quartz  gold  mining  would,  in  the  near  future,  be- 
come a  leading  feature  of  the  mining  camps  of  the 
Klondike  country. 

By  the  middle  of  1895  the  Alaska  Commercial  Com- 
pany had  four  powerful  steamers  on  the  Yukon,  and 
the  North  American  Trading  and  Transportation  Com- 
pany were  preparing  to  increase  its  carrying  capacity 
on  the  same  water-way.  Thus,  on  every  side,  the  coun- 
try showed  signs  of  progress.  There  was  then,  as  there 
still  is  a  great  demand  for  horses,  which  were  being 
taken  into  the  country  at  a  cost  of  about  $250  a  head. 

In  1896  coal  was  found  in  vast  quantities  all  along 
Coal  Creek,  and  from  it  up  to  Twelve  Mile  Creek, 
which  flows  into  the  Yukon  thirty  miles  up  the  river. 
On  the  Cornell  claim  on  Cliff  Treek,  the  coal  seam  was 
ascertained  to  be  nearly  f-v-  cei  thick,  it  v.?s  in  1896 
that  coarse  gold  was  cmr'^^^'^.^A  in  vast  deposits  on 
the  Klondike,  or  Thron-'Ouj  v.  as  it  was  first  called. 
Concerning  these  finds  Mr.  Ogilvie  wrote  the  Ca- 
nadian Minister  of  the  Interior,  under  date  of  Septem- 
ber 6,  1896,  as  follows: 

*-I  am  very  much  pleased  to  be  able  to  inform  you 
that  a  most  important  discovery  of  gold  has  been  made 
on  a  creek  called  Bonanza  Creek,  an  affluent  of  the 
river  known  here  as  the  Klondike.  It  is  marked  on 
the  map  extant  as  Deer  River  and  joins  the  Yukon  a 
few  miles  above  the  site  of  Fort  Reliance. 

"The  discovery  was  made  by  G.  W.  Cormack,  who 
worked  with  me  in  1887  on  the  coast  range.  The  in- 
dications are  that  it  is  very  rich,  indeed  the  richest  yet 
found,  and  as  far  as  work  has  ^een  carried  on,  it 


•%. 


~7ifr«!;^p'^y'f^F^^ 


80 


THE  GOLDEN  NORTH. 


1- 


i    ^ 


I 


realizes  expectations.  It  is  only  two  weeks  since  it  was 
known,  and  already  about  200  claims  have  been  staked 
on  it  and  the  creek  is  not  yet  exhausted;  it  and  its 
branches  are  considered  good  for  300  or  400  claims. 
Besides,  there  are  two  other  creeks  above  it,  which, 
it  is  confidently  expected,  will  yield  good  pay,  and  if 
they  do  so,  we  have  from  800  to  1,000  claims  on  this 
river  which  will  require  over  2,000  men  for  their  prop- 
er working.  Between  Thron-Diuck  River  and  Stew- 
art River,  a  large  creek  called  Indian  Creek  flows  into 
the  Yukon,  and  rich  prospects  have  been  found  on  it. 
and  liO  doubt  it  is  in  the  gold-bearing  country  between 
Thron-Diuck  and  Stewart  rivers,  which  is  considered 
by  all  the  old  miners  the  best  and  most  extensive  gold 
country  yet  found.  Scores  of  them  would  prospect 
it  but  for  the  fact  that  they  cannot  get  provisions  up 
there,  and  it  is  too  far  to  boat  them  from  here  in  small 
boats. 

"This  new  find  will  necessitate  an  upward  step  on 
the  Yukon  and  help  the  Stewart  River  region. 

''News  has  just  arrived  from  Bonanza  Creek  that 
three  men  worked  out  $75  in  four  hours  the  other  day 
and  a  $12  nugget  has  been  found,  which  assured  the 
character  of  the  ground,  namely,  coarse  gold  and  plen- 
ty of  it,  as  three  times  this  c?.n  be  done  with  sluice 
boxes.  You  can  fancy  the  excitement  here.  It  is 
claimed  that  from  $100  to  $500  per  day  can  be  made 
oflf  the  ground  that  has  been  prospected  so  far.  As 
we  have  about  100  claims  on  Glacier  and  Miller  creeks, 
with  three  or  four  hundred  in  this  vicinity,  next  year 
it  is  imperative  that  a  man  be  sent  m  here  to  look  after 
these  claims  and  all  land  matters,  and  it  is  almost  im- 
perative that  the  agent  be  a  surveyor.  Already  on 
Bonanza  Creek  they  are  disputing  about  the  size  of 
claims." 

Speaking  at  further  length  of  the  rich  Klondike 
region  in  the  same  year,  1896,  Mr.  Ogilvie  said: 

"As  I  have  already  intimated  rich  placer  mines  of 
gold  were  discovered  on  the  branches  of  this  stream. 


i^r 


w?^^ 


WEALTH  OF  THE  KLONDIKE. 


8i 


The  discovery,  I  believe,  was  due  to  the  reports  of  In- 
dians. A  white  man,  named  Geo.  W.  Cormack,  who 
worked  with  me  in  1887,  was  the  first  to  take  advantage 
of  the  rumors  and  locate  a  claim  on  the  first  branch, 
which  was  named  by  the  miners  Bonanza  Creek. 
Cormack  located  late  in  AugusS  but  had  to  cut  some 
logs  for  the  mill  here  to  get  a  few  pounds  of  provisions 
to  enable  him  to  begin  work  on  his  claim.  The  fishing 
at  Thron-Diuck  having  totally  failed  him,  he  returned 
with  a  few  weeks'  provisions  for  himself,  his  wife  and 
brother-in-law  (Indians)  and  another  Indian,  in  the 
last  days  of  August,  and  immediately  set  about  work- 
ing his  claim.  As  he  was  very  short  of  appliances,  he 
could  only  put  together  a  rather  defective  apparatus 
to  wash  the  gravel  with.  The  gravel  itself,  he  had  to 
carry  in  a  box  on  his  back  from  30  to  100  fee;  not- 
withstanding this,  the  three  men  working  very  irregu- 
larly, washed  out  $1,200  in  eight  days,  and  Cormack 
asserts  with  reason,  that  had  he  had  proper  facilities, 
it  could  have  been  done  in  two  days,  besides  having 
several  hundred  dollars  more  gold,  which  was  lost  in 
the  tailings  through  defective  apparatus. 

"On  the  same  creek  two  men  rocked  out  $75  in 
about  four  hours,  and  it  is  asserted  that  two  men  in 
the  same  creek  took  out  $4,000  in  two  days  with  only 
two  lengths  of  sluice  boxes.  Mr.  Leduc  assures  me  he 
weighed  that  much  gold  for  them.  They  were  new 
comers  and  had  not  done  much  in  the  country,  so  the 
probabilities  are  they  got  it  on  Bonanza  Creek.  A 
branch  of  Bonanza,  named  Eldorado,  has  prospected 
magnificently,  and  another  branch  named  Tilly  Creek 
has  prospected  well;  in  all  there  are  some  four  or  five 
branches  to  Bonanza  which  have  given  good  prospects. 
There  are  about  170  claims  staked  on  the  main  creek, 
and  the  branches  are  good  for  about  as  many  more, 
aggregating  say  about  350  claims,  which  will  require 
over  1,000  men  to  work  properly. 

"A  few  miles  farther  up  Bear  Creek  enters  Thron- 
Diuck,  and  it  has  been  prospected  and  located  on. 


■  'im^mjiMMI^' 


'^~m^ 


'W^'^  '^^^WAi'f'  W^>lJ«Ji 


82 


THE  GOLDEN  NORTH. 


I  li 


Compared  with  Bonanza,  it  is  small,  and  will  not 
afford  more  than  20  or  30  claims.  About  twelve  miles 
above  the  mouth,  Gold-bottom  Creek  joins  Thron- 
Diuck,  and  on  it  and  a  branch  named  Hunker  Creek, 
very  rich  ground  has  been  found.  One  man  showed 
me  $22.75  liG  took  out  in  a  few  hours  on  Hunker 
Creek  with  a  gold  pan,  prospecting  his  claim  on  the 
surface,  taking  a  handful  here  and  there  as  fancy 
suggested.  On  Gold-bottom  Creek  and  branches, 
there  will  probably  be  200  or  300  claims.  The  Indians 
have  reported  anotner  creek  much  farther  up,  which 
they  call  'Too  Much  Gold  Creek,'  on  which  the  gold 
is  so  plentiful  that,  as  the  miners  say  in  joke,  'you  have 
to  mix  gravel  with  it  to  sluice  it.'  Up  to  date,  noth- 
ing dehnite  has  been  heard  from  this  creek. 

"From  all  this  we  may,  I  think,  infer  that  we  have 
here  a  district  which  will  give  1,000  claims  of  500  feet 
in  length  each.  Now,  1,000  such  claims  will  require 
at  least  3,000  men  to  work  them  properly,  and  as 
wages  for  working  in  the  mines  are  from  $8  to  $10 
per  day  without  board,  we  have  every  reason  to  assume 
that  this  part  of  our  territory  will,  in  a  year  or  two, 
contain  10,000  souls  at  least.  For  the  news  has  gone 
out  to  the  coast,  and  an  unprecedented  influx  is  ex- 
pected next  spring.  And  this  is  not  all,  for  a  large 
creek  called  Indian  Creek  joins  the  Yukon  about  mid- 
way between  Thron-Diuck  and  Stewart  rivers,  and  all 
along  this  creek  good  pay  has  been  found.  All  that 
has  stood  in  the  way  of  working  it  heretofore,  has  been 
the  scarcity  of  provisions,  and  the  difficulty  of  getting 
them  up  there  even  when  here.  Indian  Creek  is  quite 
a  large  stream  and  it  is  probable  it  will  yield  five  to  six 
hundred  claims.  Further  south  yet  lies  the  head  of 
several  branches  of  Stewart  River,  on  which  some 
prospecting  has  been  done  this  summer  and  good  in- 
dications found,  but  the  want  of  provisions  prevented 
development.  Now  gold  has  been  found  in  several 
of  the  streams  joining  Pelly  River,  and  also  all  along 
the  Hootalinqua.     In  the  line  of  these  finds  farther 


I  in; 


•'■"«*•■■ 


'  iL-v^rAibafe,  - 


WEALTH  OF  THE  KLONDIKE. 


83 


souitli  is  the  Cassiar  gold  field  in  British  Columbia; 
so  the  presumption  is  that  we  have  in  our  territory, 
along  the  easterly  watershed  of  the  Yukon,  a  gold- 
bearing  belt  of  indefinite  width,  and  upwards  of  three 
hundred  miles  long,  exclusive  of  the  British  Columbia 
part  of  it.  On  the  westerly  side  of  the  Yukon,  pros- 
pecting has  been  done  on  a  creek  a  short  distance 
above  Selkirk,  v/ith  a  fair  amount  of  success,  and  on  a 
large  creek  some  thirty  or  forty  miles  below  Selkirk, 
fair  prospects  have  been  found;  but,  as  before  re- 
marked, the  difficulty  of  getting  supplies  here  prevents 
any  extensive  prospecting. 

"Good  quartz  has  been  found  in  places  just  across 
the  line  on  Davis  Creek,  but  of  what  extent  is  un- 
known, as  it  is  in  the  bed  of  the  creek,  and  covered  with 
grdivel.  Good  quartz  is  also  reported  on  the  hills 
around  Bonanza  Creek.  It  is  pretty  certain  from  infor- 
mation I  have  got  from  prospectors,  that  all  or  nearly 
all  of  the  northerly  branch  of  White  River,  is  on  our 
side  of  the  line,  and  copper  is  found  on  it,  but  more 
abundantly  on  the  southerly  branch,  of  which  a  great 
portion  is  in  our  territory  also,  so  it  is  probable  we  have 
that  metal  too.  I  have  seen  here  several  lumps  of  cop- 
per, brought  by  the  natives  from  White  River,  but  just 
from  what  part  is  uncertain.  I  have  also  seen  a  speci- 
men of  silver  ore  said  to  have  been  picked  up  in  a  creek 
flowing  into  Lake  Bennett,  about  fourteen  miles  down 
it  on  the  east  side.  I  think  this  is  enough  to  show 
that  we  may  look  forward  with  confidence  to  a  fairly 
bright  future  for  this  part  of  our  territory. 

"When  it  was  fairly  established  that  Bonanza  Creek 
was  rich  in  gold,  which  took  a  few  days,  for  fhron- 
Diuck  had  been  prospected  several  times  with  no  en- 
couraging result,  there  was  a  great  rush  from  all  over 
the  country  adjacent  to  Forty  Mile.  The  town  was 
almost  deserted ;  men  who  had  been  in  a  chronic  state 
of  dmnkenness  for  weeks  were  pitched  into  boats  as 
ballast  and  taken  up  to  stake  themselves  a  claim,  and 
clair^'  n-ere  staked  by  men  for  their  friends  who  were 


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IMAGE  EVALUATION 
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Sdences 
Corporation 


23  WESV  MAIN  STREET 

WEBSTER,  N.Y.  .    .^  <0 

(716)  872-4S03 


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84 


THE  GOLDEN  KOHTS. 


f  r- 


not  in' the  country  at  the  time.  All  this  gave  rise  to 
such  conflict  and  confusion,  there  being  no  one  present 
to  take  charge  of  matters,  the  ageijt  being  unable  to 
go  up  and  attend  to  the  thing,  and  myself  not  yet  know- 
ing what  to  do,  that  the  miners  held  a  meeting,  and  ap- 
pointed one  of  themselves  to  measure  off  and  stake 
the  claims,  and  record  the  owners'  names  in  connection 
therewith,  for  which  he  got  a  fee  of  $2,  it  being  of 
course  understood  that  each  claim  holder  would  have 
to  record  his  claim  with  the  Dominion  agent  and  pay 
his  fee  of  $15." 

In  December,  1896,  Mr.  Ogilvie  wrote: 

"Since  my  last,  the  prospects  on  Bonanza  Creek  and 
tributaries  are  increasing  in  richness  and  extent  imtil 
now  it  is  certain  that  millions  will  be  taken  out  of  the 
district  in  the  next  few  days. 

"On  some  of  the  claims  prospected  the  pay  dirt  is 
of  great  extent  and  very  rich.  One  man  told  me  yes- 
terday that  he  washed  out  a  single  pan  of  dirt  on  one 
of  the  claims  on  Bonanza,  and  found  $14.25  in  it.  Of 
course  that  may  be  an  exceptionally  rich  pan,  but  $5 
to  $7  per  pan  is  the  average  on  that  claim  it  is  reported, 
with  five  feet  of  pay  dirt,  and  the  width  yet  undeter- 
mined, but  it  is  known  to  be  thirty  feet  even  at  that; 
figure  the  result  at  nine  to  ten  pans  to  the  cubic  foot, 
and  500  feet  long;  nearly  $4,000,000  at  $5  per  pan. 
One-fourth  of  this  would  be  enormous. 

"Another  claim  has  been  prospected  to  such  an  ex- 
tent that  it  is  known  there  is  about  five  feet  pay  dirt 
averaging  $2  per  pan,  and  width  not  less  than  thirty 
feet.  Enough  prospecting  has  been  done  to  show  that 
there  are  at  least  fifteen  miles  of  this  extraordinary 
richness;  and  the  indications  are  that  we  will  have 
three  or  four  times  that  extent,  if  not  all  equal  to  the 
above,  yet  all,  at  least,  very  rich. 

"It  appears  a  great  deal  of  staking  for  absentees  has 
been  done,  some  of  whom  have  turned  up  and  some 
have  not.  This  has  caused  confusion,  and  leads  to  a 
good  deal  of  what  might  be  called  fraud,  for  it  is  easy 


i 


WBALTH  OF  THE  KLONDIKE. 


85 


for  a  few  in  the  inner  circle  to  know  what  claims  have 
been  recorded  in  accordance  v;ith  the  law  and  what 
have  not.  They  can  then  for  themselves,  directly  or 
through  the  intervention  of  a  friend,  have  the  latter 
jumped  for  their  whole  or  partial  interest.  It  appears 
this  has  iSeen  done  in  several  instances." 

Again,  under  date  of  January,  1897,  Mr.  Ogilvie  sent 
information  to  his  government,  in  the  following  terms : 

"The  reports  from  the  Thron-Diuck  (Klondike)  re- 
gion are  still  very  encouraging;  so  much  so  that  all 
the  other  creeks  around  are  practically  abandoned, 
especially  those  on  the  head  of  Forty  Mile  in  Ameri- 
can territory,  and  nearly  one  hundred  men  have  made 
their  way  up  from  Circle  City,  many  of  them  hauling 
their  sleds  themselves.  Those  who  cannot  get  claims 
are  buying  in  on  those  already  located.  Men  cannot 
be  ^ot  to  work  for  love  or  money,  and  development 
is  consequently  slow ;  one  and  a  half  dollars  per  hour 
is  the  wages  paid  the  few  men  who  have  to  work  for 
hire,  and  work  as  many  hours  as  they  like.  Some  of 
the  claims  are  so  rich  that  every  night  a  few  pans  of 
dirt  suffices  to  pay  the  hired  help  when  there  is  any; 
as  high  as  $204  have  been  reported  to  a  single  pan. 
Claim  owners  are  now  very  reticent  about  what  they 
get,  so  you  can  hardly  credit  anything  you  hear;  but 
one  thing  is  certain,  we  have  one  of  the  richest  mining 
areas  ever  found,  with  a  fair  prospect  that  we  have  not 
yet  discovered  its  limits. 

"Miller  and  Glacier  creeks  on  the  head  of  Sixty  Mile 
River,  which  my  survey  of  the  141st  meridian  deter- 
mined to  be  in  Canada,  were  thought  to  be  very  rich, 
but  they  are  poor  both  in  quality  and  quantity  com- 
pared with  Thron-Diuck. 

"Chicken  Creek  on  the  head  of  Forty  Mile,  in  Alas- 
ka, discovered  a  year  ago  and  rated  very  high,  is  to-day 
practically  abandoned. 

"Some  quartz  prospecting  has  been  done  in  the 
Thron-Diuck  region,  and  it  is  probable  that  some  good 
veins  will  be  found  there.    Coal  is  found  on  the  upper 


86 


THE  GOLDEN  NORTH. 


I 


part  of  Thron-Diuck ;  so  that  the  facilities  for  work- 
ing it,  if  found,  are  good  and  convenient. 

"A  quartz  lode  showing  free  gold  in  paying  quanti- 
ties has  been  located  on  one  of  the  creeks,  -but  I  can- 
not yet  send  particulars.  I  am  confident  from  the  na- 
ture of  the  gold  found  in  the  creeks  that  many  more 
of  them — and  rich,  too — will  be  found. 

"I  have  just  heard  from  a  reliable  source  that  the 
quartz  mentioned  above  is  rich,  as  tested — over  one 
hundred  dollars  to  the  ton.  The  lode  appears  to  run 
from  three  to  eight  feet  in  thickness,  and  is  about  nine- 
teen miles  from  the  Yukon  River.  I  will  likely  be 
called  on  to  survey  it,  and  will  be  able  to  report  fully. 

"Placer  prospects  continue  more  and  more  encour- 
aging and  extraordinary.  It  is  beyond  doubt  that 
three  pans  on  different  claims  on  Eldorado  turned  out 
$204,  $212  and  $216;  but  it  must  be  borne  in  mind 
that  there  were  only  three  such  pans,  though  there  are 
many  running  from  $10  to  $50." 

This  closes  the  official  information  of  the  Klondike 
country,  up  to  the  middle  of  August,  1897,  but  later 
news  was  received  through  private  sources,  which  the 
foregoing  fully  substantiates. 


m 


PROCESS  OF  PLACER  MINING. 


87 


CHAPTER  XIII. 


PROCESS  OF  PLACER  MINING. 

Methods  of  the  prospector — Use  of  the  Pan,  the  Rocker  and 
the  Sluice — Mining  in  the  Far  North— Continuous  day- 
light in  summer  and  almost  perpetual  darkness  in  win- 
ter— Filling  the  hours  of  summer  with  hard  work — 

'  "Burning"  in  winter — Vast  Peace  River  gold  discoveries 
—The  Northeast  route. 

As  many  of  our  readers  understand  little  of  the  no- 
menclature of  the  mining  craft,  or  of  the  methods  em- 
ployed to  separate  the  very  small  particles  of  the 
precious  metals  from  the  baser  material  with  w^hich  it 
is  associated,  a  short  description  will  be  in  place  here. 

First,  as  to  prospecting.  When  a  miner  "strikes"  a 
bar  he  "prospects"  it  by  washing  a  few  panfuls  of  the 
gravel  or  sand  of  which  it  is  composed.  He  is  guided 
as  to  the  value  of  the  "dirt"  by  "colors;"  in  other  words 
by  the  number  of  specs  of  gold  he  can  see  in  his  pan 
after  all  the  dirt  has  been  washed  out.  Most  of  these 
prospectors  have  had  sufficient  experience  to  deter- 
mine the  value  of  sand  or  gravel  in  a  few  minutes,  and 
to  estimate,  at  once,  how  much  a  bar  will  yield  per  day 
and  per  man. 

The  process  of  placer  mining  has  been  described  as 
follows:  "After  clearing  all  the  coarse  gravel  and 
stone  off  a  patch  of  ground  the  miner  lifts  a  little  of 
the  finer  gravel  or  sand  in  his  pan,  which  is  a  broad, 
shallow  dish,  made  of  strong  sheet  iron ;  he  then  puts 
in  water  enough  to  fill  the  pan,  and  gives  it  a  few  rapid 
whirls  and  shakes;  this  tends  to  bring  the  gold  to  the 
bottom  on  account  of  its  greater  specific  gravity.  The 
dish  is  then  shaken  and  held  in  such  a  way  that  the 
gravel  and  sand  are  gradually  washed  out,  care  being 
taken  as  the  process  nears  completion  to  avoid  letting 


THE  GOLDEN  NORTH. 


|5- 


r  ? 


II 


out  the  finer  and  heavier  parts  that  have  settled  to  the 
bottom.  Finally  all  that  is  left  in  the  pan  is  whatever 
gold  may  have  been  in  the  dish  and  some  black  sand 
which  almost  invariably  accompanies  it. 

"This  black  sand  is  nothing  but  pulverized  mag- 
netic iron  ore.  Should  the  gold  thus  found  be  fine, 
the  contents  of  the  pan  are  thrown  into  a  barrel  con- 
taining water  and  a  pound  or  two  of  mercury.  As 
soon  as  the  gold  comes  in  contact  with  the  mercury  it 
combines  with  it  and  forms  an  amalgam.  The  process 
is  continued  until  enough  amalgam  has  been  formed  to 
pay  for  'roasting*  or  'firing.'  It  is  then  squeezed 
through  a  buckskin  bag,  all  the  mercury  that  comes 
through  the  bag  being  put  back  into  the  barrel  to 
serve  again,  and  what  remains  in  the  bag  is  placed  in 
a  retort,  if  the  miner  has  one,  or  if  not,  on  a  shovel, 
and  heated  until  nearly  all  the  mercury  is  vaporized. 
The  gold  then  remains  in  a  lump  with  some  mercury 
still  held  in  combination  with  it. 

"This  -s  called  the  'pan'  or  'hand'  method,  and  is 
never,  on  account  of  its  slowness  and  laboriousness, 
continued  for  any  length  of  time  when  it  is  possible  to 
procure  a  'rocker,'  or  to  make  and  work  sluices. 

"A  'rocker'  is  simply  a  box  about  three  feet  long  and 
two  wide,  made  in  two  parts,  the  top  part  being  shal- 
low, with  a  heavy  sheet  iron  bottom,  which  is  punched 
full  of  quarter-inch  holes.  The  other  part  of  the  box 
is  fitted  with  an  inclined  shelf  about  midway  in  its 
depth,  which  is  six  or  eight  inches  lower  at  its  lower 
end  than  at  its  upper.  Over  this  is  placed  a  piece  of 
heavy  woolen  blanket.  The  whole  is  then  mounted 
on  i^vo  rockers,  much  resembling  those  of  an  ordinary 
cradle,  and  when  in  use  they  are  placed  on  two  blocks 
of  wood  so  that  the  whole  may  be  readily  rocked. 
After  the  miner  has  selected  his  claim,  he  looks  for  the 
most  convenient  place  to  set  up  his  'rocker,'  which 
must  be  near  a  good  supply  of  water.  Then  he  pro- 
ceeds to  clear  away  all  the  stones  and  coarse  gravel, 
gathering  the  finer  gravel  and  sand  in  a  heap  near  the 


PROCESS  OF  PLACER  MINING. 


89 


'rocker.'  The  shallow  box  on  top  is  filled  with  this, 
and  with  one  hand  the  miner  rocks  it  through,  while 
with  the  other  he  ladles  in  water.  The  finer  matter 
with  the  gold  falls  through  the  holes  onto  the  blanket, 
which  checks  its  progress,  and  holds,  the  fine  particles 
of  gold  while  the  sand  and  other  matter  pass  over  it 
to  the  bottom  of  the  box,  which  is  sloped  so  that  what 
comes  through  is  washed .  downwards  and  finally  out 
of  the  box.  Across  the  bottom  of  the  box  are  fixed 
thin  slats,  behind  which  some  mercury  is  placed  to 
catch  any  particles  of  gold  which  may  escape  the  blan- 
ket. If  the  gold  is  nuggety,  the  large  nuggets  are 
found  in  the  upper  box,  their  weight  detaining  them 
until  all  the  lighter  stuff  has  passed  through,  and  the 
smaller  ones  are  held  by  a  deeper  slat  at  the  outward 
end  of  the  bottom  of  the  box.  The  piece  of  blanket 
is,  at  intervals,  taken  out  and  rinsed  into  a  barrel;  if 
the  gold  is  fine,  mercury  is  placed  at  the  bottom  of  the 
barrel,  as  already  mentioned. 

"Sluicing  is  always  employed  when  possible.  It  re- 
qiiires  a  good  supply  of  water  with  sufficient  head  or 
fall.  The  process  is  as  follows :  Planks  are  procured 
and  formed  into  a  box  of  suitable  width  and  depth. 
Slats  are  fixed  across  the  bottom  of  the  box  at  suitable 
intervals,  or  shallow  holes  bored  in  the  bottom  in  such 
order  that  no  particle  could  run  along  the  bottom  in 
a  straight  line  and  escape  without  running  over  a  hole. 
Several  of  these  boxes  are  then  set  up  with  a  consider- 
able slope  and  are  fitted  into  one  another  at  the  ends 
like  a  stovepipe.  A  stream  of  water  is  now  directed 
into  the  upper  end  of  the  highest  box.  The  gravel 
having  been  collected,  as  in  the  case  of  the  rocker,  it 
is  shoveled  into  the  upper  box  and  is  washed  down- 
wards by  the  strong  current  of  water.  The  gold  is  de- 
tained by  itL  weight  and  is  held  by  the  slats  or  in  the 
holes  mentioned;  if  it  is  fine,  mercury  is  placed  behind 
the  slats  or  in  these  holes  to  catch  it.  In  this  way  about 
three  times  as  much  dirt  can  be  washed  as  by  the  rock- 
er, and  consequently  three  times  as  much  gold  is  se- 
7 


90 


THE  GOLDEN  NORTH. 


?: 


cured  in  a  given  time.  After  the  boxes  are  done  with 
they  are  burned,  and  the  ashes  washed  for  the  gold 
held  in  the  wood. 

"A  great  many  of  the  miners  spend  their  time  in  the 
summer  prospecting  and  in  the  winter  resort  to  a 
method  lately  adopted  and  which  is  called  'burning.' 
They  make  fires  on  the  surface,  thus  thawing  the 
ground  until  the  bed  rock  is  reached,  then  drift  and 
tunnel.    The  pay  dirt  is  biought  to  the  surface  and 
heaped  in  a  pile  until  spring,  when  water  can  be  ob- 
tained.   The  sluice  boxes  are  then  set  up  and  the  dirt 
is  washed  out,  thus  enabling  the  miner  to  work  ad- 
vantageously  and   profitably  the   year  round.     This 
method  has  been  found  very  satisfactory  in  places- 
where  the  pay  streak  is  iit  any  great  depth  from  the 
surface.    In  this  way  the  co-i.plaint  is  overcome  which 
has  been  so  commonly  advanced  by  miners  and  others 
that  in  the  Yukon  several  months  of  the  year  are  lost 
in  idleness.    Winter  usually  sets  in  very  soon  after  the 
middle  of  September  and  continues  until  the  begin- 
ning of  June,  and  is  decidedly  cold.     The  mercury  fre- 
quently falls  to  60  degrees  below  zero,  but  in  the  in- 
terior there  is  so  little  humidity  in  the  atmosphere  that 
the  cold  is  more  easily  endured  than  on  the  coast.     In 
the  absence  of  thermometers,  miners,  it  is  said,  leave 
their  mercury  out  all  night ;  when  they  find  it  frozen 
soHd  in  the  morning  they  conclude  that  it  is  too  cold 
to  work,  and  stay  at  home.     The  temperature  runs  to 
great  extremes  in  summer  as  well  as  in  winter.     It  is 
quite  a  common  thing  for  the  thermometer  to  regis- 
ter ICO  degrees  in  the  shade." 

There  is  continuous  daylight  from  the  middle  of 
June  until  the  early  part  of  August ;  but  in  the  middle 
of  winter  there  is  little  more  than  three  hours  of  partial 
daylight  in  the  twenty-four.  Hence  constant  daylight 
for  a  portion  of  the  year,  and  almost  total  darkness  for 
another  portion,  might  very  well  create  doubts  in 
one's  mind  as  to  what  portion  of  the  day  in  either  case 
should  be  given  to  sleep.    In  the  summer  months  it 


PROCESS  OF  PLACER  MINING. 


91 


is  possible  for  a  miner  to  put  in  as  many  hours  as  he 
has  the  power  to  endure.  Constant  daylight  admits 
of  several  shifts  of  men  being  employed,  and  in  this 
way  mining  operations  may  go  on  continuously. 

In  this  connection  additional  reports  of  the  Klon- 
dike country,  circulated  by  returning  lucky  miners, 
and  told  in  newspapers  to  nre  the  spirit  of  adventure 
in  the  American  people,  may  be  mentioned.  This  one 
was  given  out  in  Chicago  in  August : 

''One  year  ago  Fred  Phiscator  was  a  poor  man  en- 
/  gaged  in  the  lumber  business  at  Barodo,  Mich.  He 
arrived  in  Chicago  on  his  way  home  from  Alaska.  In 
a  big  red  pocketbook  which  he  carried  in  the  inside 
pocket  of  his  vest  there  reposed  a  certificate  of  deposit 
for  $120,000,  beside  which  Mr.  Phiscator  had  sufficient 
loose  change  to  keep  him  from  borrowing  whenever 
he  wanted  a  cigar.  And  just  as  though  he  had  been 
used  to  counting  his  money  in  six  figures  all  his  life, 
he  remarked  that  he  had  refused  $200,000  for  the  claim 
he  left  behind,  and  thought  it  was  worth  $1,000,000. 
Mr.  Phiscator  dropped  his  traveling  bag  before  the 
clerk's  desk  in  the  Great  Northern  hotel  and  said  that 
nothing  was  too  good  for  him.  It  is  his  intention  to 
spend  the  winter  with  his  family  and  friends  and  in 
the  spring  he  will  lead  a  party  of  friends  to  the  scene 
of  his  fortune  making. 

*'Mr.  Phiscator  was  one  of  a  party  of  four  that  fol- 
lowed the  discoveries  on  Bonanza  Creek,  and  he  and 
another  man  located  the  claims  that  have  been  reported 
as  being  so  rich  on  Eldorado  Creek.  Mr.  Phiscator 
said  the  party  was  nearly  out  of  food  and  was  about 
ready  to  turn  back  to  the  nearest  trading  post  when  it 
met  another  party  that  had  more  flour  that  it  needed 
and  sold  his  party  some.  That  evening,  .while  the 
cook  was  preparing  supper,  Phiscator  suggested  to  an 
old  man  named  Whipple  that  they  go  a  mile  up  the 
Klondike  and  wash  a  pan  of  Eldorado  Creek  djii:.  They 
did  so,  and  were  amazed  when  they  found  between  $6 
and  $7  in  yellow  metal  in  the  bottom  of  the  pan.    They 


wm 


92 


THE  GOLDEN  NORTH. 


immediately  staked  claims  and  went  back  and  told 
what  they  had  found.  The  others  in  the  party  then 
staked  claims  and  all  have  become  rich.    He  said: 

"  'This  was  a  little  over  a  year  ago,  and  in  that  time 
I  have  taken  out  more  than  $150,000,  and  have  hardly 
made  a  hole  in  my  claim.  In  one  hole  35  by  50  feet,  I 
took  out  $49,000.  Most  people  I  meet  have  a  wrong 
impression  of  what  the  claims  are,  and  the  reports  of 
fabulous  wealth  being  taken  out  of  them  are  exagger- 
ated. 

"  To  work  a  claim  a  hole  about  6  by  3^  feet,  or 
about  the  size  of  an  ordinary  mining  shaft,  is  started 
down.  As  the  ground  never  tnaws  out  to  a  depth  oi 
more  than  two  feet,  this  is  not  easy  work.  As  it  is  not 
brittle,  it  can  not  be  shot  out,  so  it  is  necessary  to  use 
a  pick  until  a  certain  depth  is  reached.  Then  fires  are 
built  and  the  ground  thawed  out.  A  fire  over  night 
will  soften  about  three  feet  of  earth.  This  is  taken  out 
the  next  day  and  another  fire  built.  The  rich  dirt  is  at 
bed  rock,  and  after  this  is  reached  the  fire  process  is 
continued,  and  the  excavation  is  carried  on  laterally, 
the  dirt  being  taken  out  to  about  the  height  of  a  man. 
It  is  necessary  to  do  this  work  during  the  winter 
months,  for  the  reason  that  the  gas  fumes  are  go  great 
in  the  summer  that  it  is  impossible  to  work.  All  the 
earth  taken  out  in  the  winter  is  'piled  up,  and  when 
summer  comes  it  is  panned  for  the  gold.' '' 

In  further  confirmation  of  the  contention  of  the  au- 
thor, who  has  traveled  extensively  through  that  re- 
gicJn,  the  following  additional  proof  of  the  existence 
of  pay  gold  on  the  eastern  slopes  of  the  Rockies  is 
submitted.  The  evidence  is  not  the  less  valuable  be- 
cause it  comes  in  a  second-hand,  or  round  about  way : 

'Tacoma,  Wash.,  Aug.  22. — The  next  mining  ex- 
citement will  be  on  Peace  River,  in  Northwest  terri- 
tory. Mining  has  been  carried  on  there  in  a  slow  way 
for  years,  but  discoveries  made  this  summer  leave  no 
room  to  doubt  that  an  immense  amount  of  gold  will 
be  taken  out  of  that  river  and  its  tributaries  during  the 


PROCESS  OF  PLACER  MINING. 


93 


next  two  years.  Men  who  are  now  taking  out  gold  in 
large  quantities  there  are  not  trying  to  create  a  boom, 
but  are  quietly  sending  for  their  friends  to  come  into 
the  country  and  secure  claims. 

"A.  D.  Kitchen,  a  prominent  mining  broker  of  this 
city,  has  just  returned  from  British  Columbia.  At 
Vancouver  he  met  a  young  man  named  Johnson,  who 
had  just  come  down  from  Peace  River  with  his  part- 
ner, bringing  $18,000.  A  third  partner  was  left  at  the 
mines.  The  two  came  out  with  part  of  the  -season's 
output  to  secure  supplies  for  the  winter.  The  money 
brought  out  was  placed  in  a  Vancouver  bank.  Part 
of  it  was  drawn  out  for  the  purchase  of  supplies,  which 
were  at  once  shipped  to  Edmonton,  Northwest  terri- 
tory, whence  they  were  to  be  sent  to  the  mines  by  a 
large  pack  train. 

"The  $18,000  brought  out  had  been  cleaned  up  by 
the  three  men  in  three  months.  They  went  to  Peace 
River  early  in  the  spring,  and  Johnson  started 
out  in  July.  Johnson  said  that  all  the  miners  on  Peace 
River  were  making  a  great  deal  of  money  with  the 
crudest  of  appliances.  Up  to  the  time  he  left  only 
pans  and  twelve-foot  sluices  had  been  used.  Most  of 
the  miners  were  not  coming  out  this  fall,  because  it 
was  possible  to  purchase  supplies  at  the  trading  posts 
of  the  Hudson's  Bay  Company  near  the  mouth  of  the 
river.  Johnson  toM  Mr.  Kitchen  that  if  he  wanted 
gold  all  he  had  to  do  was  to  go  to  Peace  River. 

"The  Peace  River  country  is  reached  most  easily 
from  Edmonton,  which  is  833  miles  from  Vancouver, 
being  191  miles  north  of  Calgary,  on  the  Canadian  Pa- 
cific Railroad.  Fort  Chippewyan,  on  Athabasca  Lake, 
at  the  mouth  of  Peace  River,  is  reached  by  taking  a 
stage  from  Edmonton  to  Athabasca  landing,  forty 
miles,  and  thence  down  Athabasca  River  and  lake  by 
boat.  Chippewyan  is  465  miles  from  Edmonton. 
Steamboats  go  up  the  Peace  River  for  a  considerable 
distance.  A  number  of  its  tributaries,  including  the 
Loon  and  Deer  rivers,  are  as  rich  as  the  main  stream. 


94 


THE  GOLDEN  NORTH. 


'The  Peace  River  rises  in  the  eastern  slopes  of  the 
Rocky  Mountains,  a  little  north  of  the  center  of  Brit- 
ish Columbia.  In  the  northern  continuation  of  the 
same  mountains  rise  the  Klondike,  Pelly,  Stewart,  and 
other  gold-bearing  tributaries  of  the  Yukon.  There 
is  this  difference,  that  Peace  River  rises  on  the  eastern 
slope  of  the  mountains,  while  the  Yukon's  tributaries 
rise  on  the  west  side.  Along  Peace  River  on  the  north 
are  the  Reindeer  or  Caribou  mountains,  which  have 
been  found  this  summer  to  be  rich  in  go!d-bearing 
quartz. 

"Mr.  Kitchen  found  that  other  miners  had  recently 
arrived  at  Vancouver,  bringing  large  amounts  of  gold 
from  Peace  River.  He  is  accordingly  arranging  to 
organize  a  company  which  will  put  gteamers  on  the 
Athabasca  River  and  lake  and  on  Peace  River  next 
spring,  and  establish  three  trading  posts.  He  will  go 
to  Lincoln,  Neb.,  where  he  formerly  lived,  to  get  part 
of  the  necessary  capital." 

The  Edmonton  and  Athabasca  route  will  not  only 
be  available  for  travf '  to  the  rich  mining  areas  on  the 
eastern  slopes  of  the  Rockies — it  will  be  found  prefer- 
able to  any  other  in  reaching  the  Klondike  territory 
as  well.  This  trail  is  both  shorter-— affording  a  much 
cheaper  route — and  practicable  for  the  transportation 
of  horses,  machinery  and  supplies  into  the  whole 
northwest  country,  without  hardship  or  serious  diffi- 
culty. 


FURS,  FISH  AMD  GAME. 


95 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

FURS.  FISH  AND  GAME  OF  THE  KLONDIKE. 

The  silver,  gray,  black  and  red  for— Abundance  of  game— 
The  caribou,  moose  and  the  g.lzzly,  brown,  black  and 
sllver-tlp  bears— Salmon  and  other  flsh,  etc. 

The  principal  fur  procured  in  the  Canadian  North- 
west, west  of  the  Rockies  and  north  of  the  6oth  paral- 
lel, which  is  just  now  being  called  the  Klondike  coun- 
try, are  the  silver,  gray  and  black  fox,  the  numu  .  of 
which  bears  a  greater  ratio  to  the  red  foxes  than  in  %ny 
other  part  of  the  north.  The  red  fox  is,  of  coarse, 
very  common,  and  a  species  called  the  blue  is  v:  Jndant 
further  towards  the  coast.  Marten  or  sable,  and  lyux, 
are  quite  nun  \jus.  Otter  are  fa**  more  scarce:  than 
to  the  est  of  the  Rockies,  and  beaver  do  not  exi  t  to 
any  extent.  It  is  estimated  that  the  value  of  the  giay 
and  black  fox  skins  taken  out  of  the  country  annually 
more  than  equals  the  value  of  all  other  furs  secured. 

Game  is  very  abundant,  but  owing  to  the  presence 
of  miners  most  of  it  has  been  driven  back  from  the 
rivers  occupied  by  them.  The  Indians  have  to  ascend 
the  tributary  streams  ten  or  twenty  miles  to  secure 
furs  or  game  worth  going  after.  Here  on  the  uplands 
are  vast  herds  of  caribou,  although  in  some  seasons 
they  disappear  altogether.  The  Indians  slaughter 
them  without  regard  to  their  meat  necessities.  Some 
years  ago  moose  were  numerous  along  the  principal 
rivers,  but  are  now  seldom  seen  except  at  a  considera- 
ble distance  from  the  regions  occupied  by  miners. 
Eighteen  moose  were  killed  on  Coal  Creek  in  one  day 
in  1888.  The  Indians  sell  much  of  this  meat  to  the 
miners. 

There  are  two  species  of  caribou  in  the  country. 
One — the  ordinary  kind — is  found  in  most  parts  of  the 


i 


w  '! 


96 


THE  GOLDEN  NORTH. 


north.  This  much  resembles  and  is  generally  spoken 
of  as  the  reindeer.  The  other  is  known  as  the  "Wood 
caribou,"  being  a  much  larger  and  more  beautiful  ani- 
mal. The  ordinary  caribou  runs  in  herds,  often  num- 
bering hundreds.  They  are  easily  approached  and 
may  be  killed  without  much  difficulty.  When  the  In- 
dians overtake  a  herd  they  surround  it,  gradually  driv- 
ing them  into  a  bunch,  when  the  animals,  being  panic- 
stricken,  are  slaughtered  in  a  wholesale  manner. 

There  are  four  species  of  bear  in  this  region.  These 
are  the  grizzly,  brown,  black,  and  a  small  kind  called 
the  "silver-tip."  The  latter  are  of  a  gray  color,  and 
are  very  fierce.  There  are  a  few  of  the  common  gray 
wolves,  but  these  are  seldom  met  with.  The  arctic 
rabbit  is  scarce,  except  once  in  seven  years,  when  they 
may  be  seen  in  myriads.  They  are  plentiful  foj  about 
four  years,  and  then  disappear  for  about  three  years. 
The  marten  is  also  subject  to  periodical  increase.  The 
mountain  sheep  and  mountain  goats  exist  everywhere 
in  this  country,  but  are  most  numerous  on  the  moun- 
tain sides. 

Birds  ire  rarely  seen.  A  few  ravens  are  met  with 
along  the  rivers.  They  are  very  active  and  noisy  on 
stormy  days.  Once  in  awhile  the  magpie  and  white- 
headed  eagle  are  seen.  Partridges  are  very  scarce, 
but  ptarmigan,  or  the  arctic  partridge,  is  abundant. 
Wild  geese  and  ducks  are  plentiful  in  season.  The 
ducks  abound  in  endless  variety. 

Fish  are  numerous  in  all  the  streams.  Lake  trout 
are  caught  in  most  of  the  lakes.  Thty  take  a  troll  bait 
readily.  Salmon  abound  in  all  the  principal  streams 
flowing  into  the  Yukon.  One  can  easily  trace  their 
presence  by  the  slight  ripple  they  make  on  the  sur- 
face, and  they  can  be  taken  by  gently  placing  a  scoop 
net  in  their  way  and  lifting  them  out  when  they  en- 
ter it, 

Indians  inhabit  the  country,  but  the  tribes  are  not 
very  numerous,  nor  cf  any  special  interest. 


IMPORTANT  INTERNATIONAL  QUESTIONS.        97 


CHAPTER  XV. 

IMPORTANT  INTERNATIONAL  QUESTIONS. 

Verified  reports  of  rich  gold  discoveries  and  the  arrival  of 
the  precious  metal  in  this  country  ^ikely  to  send  a  vast 
population  from  the  United  States  to  the  Klondike 
regions — Might  possibly  lead  to  war  between  England 
and  this  country— The  feeling  in  London— Chicago  and 
London  competitors — Routes  for  railroad  communica- 
tion with  the  upper  Yukon — The  boundary  question 
practically  settled. 

•  It  is  not  impossible  that  the  great  influx  of  citizens 
of  the  United  States  to  the  Klondike  country,  which 
lies  almost  wholly  within  British  territory,  may  lead  to 
serious  international  complications.  There  will  be  in 
the  neighborhood  of  10,000  Americans  in  that  region 
by  the  spring  of  1898,  and  the  number  is  likely  to  be 
quadrupled  before  the  beginning  of  1899.  Some  au- 
thorities estimate  that  250,000,  all  told,  will  have  gone 
into  the  country  before  the  beginning  of  the  20th  cen- 
tury. 

The  excitement  over  the  rich  gold  fields  there  is 
being  daily  augmented  by  the  return  of  miners  with 
bags  of  coarse  gold  and  nuggets.  Nearly  all  of  these 
pioneers  of  the  new  country  bring  fortunes,  of  greater 
or  less  dimensions,  with  them,  and  leave  behind  them 
gold  claims  worth  millions,  to  which  they  propose  to 
return  in  the  spring.  Reports  of  this  kind,  all  fully 
verified,  cannot  fail  to  cause  many  thousands  to  leave 
the  United  Stat;  si  for  the  Golden  North.  Reports 
similar  to  the  following  are  now,  August,  1897,  of  al- 
most daily  occurrence: 

"Tacoma,  Wash,  Aug.  21. — T.  P.  Riley,  formerly  sec- 
tion foreman  of  the  Northern  Pacific  at  Alderton, 
twelve  miles  from  Tacoma,  returned  to-day  from  the 
Klondike  and  weighed  out  in  front  of. a  Ledger  re- 


Bfcv  - 


98 


THE  GOLDEN  NORTH. 


il 


i 


porter  $85,000  in  gold  nuggets,  the  result  of  two  years 
of  hardships  and  toil  in  frozen  regions  of  the  North. 

"His  partners,  Flannigan  and  O'Brien,  have  an 
equal  share  with  him,  and  are  now  speeding  across  the 
continent  to  Pennsylvania  with  $85,000  apiece  of  Klon- 
dike gold.  Mr.  Riley  and  his  party  left  the  Klondike 
on  July  6,  and  were  twenty-three  days  at  Dyea.  They 
carried  their  golden  gleanings  themselves,  and,  to 
evade  notoriety,  told  no  one  of  their  good  fortune. 
'All  of  my  life,  I  have  had  to  work  like  a  slave  for  small 
wages,'  said  Mr.  Riley,  'but  I  am  now  independent  for 
life.  Two  years  ago  I  was  a  section  foreman  on  the 
Northern  Pacific,  twelve  miles  from  Tacoma.  1  was 
a  hard  drinker,  and  for  that  I  was  discharged.  It  was 
the  best  thing  ever  happened  to  me.  I  went  to  Alas- 
ka, and  was  near  Circle  City  when  the  richness  of  the 
Klondike  was  discovered.  I  at  once  went  over,  and 
with  my  partners  (Flannigan  and  O'Brien)  took  up  two 
claims.  We  worked  all  winter,  and  when  the  clean-up 
came  in  the  spring  we  had  $85,000  apiece.  Here  is 
mine.    How  does  it  look? 

"  'It  means  no  more  hard  work  for  me.  I  have  all  I 
want,  and  more  too.  I  am  going  to  Ireland  to  see 
some  of  my  relatives,  and  next  March  I  will  return  to 
Tacoma,  buy  me  a  good  big  farm,  and  live  for  the  rest 
of  my  days  on  what  it  will  bring  in.  1  left  the  Klondike 
July  6th,  and  after  a  rapid  though  hard  trip  we  landed 
at  Dyea  on  July  29th.  Thousands  of  rich  strikes  have 
been  made  there  this  spring  and  summer,  and  I  would 
not  take  $5,000,000  for  my  share  in  our  two  claims. 
There  is  gold  enough  in  the  district  to  supply  the  world 
and  make  everybody  rich.  A  man  who  never  had  a 
pick  or  shovel  in  his  hand  in  his  life  stands  just  as  good 
a  chance  as  an  old,  experienced  miner.  When  I  left, 
there  were  nearly  six  tons  of  gold  waiting  to  be  shipped 
down  on  the  Portland,  at  St.  Michaels,  which  I  heard 
will  be  here  in  a  few  days.  On  Stewart  River,  180 
miles  from  the  Klondike  diggings,  rich  strikes  have 
been  made,  and  the  people  of  the  district  are  wild  with 


1 


I 


Id 
a 


IMPORTANT  INTER^iATIONAL  QUESTIONS.        99 


excitement  and  many  are  rushing  to  the  new  diggings. 
Dawson  City  is  now  quite  a  town,  and  has  about  3,500 
people.  The  beat  buildings  are  given  up  to  saloons 
and  gambling  houses,  and  every  one  gambles  and 
drinks.  Though  the  country  is  rich  and  the  strikes 
are  numerous,  I  fear  for  the  thousands  who  are  trying 
to  rush  over  the  passes  at  this  season  of  the  year.  They 
will  many  of  them  fail  in  their  attempt,  and  will  leave 
their  bones  along  the  trail.  I  would  advise  all  who  in- 
tend going  to  wait  until  spring  and  then  go  in  over  the 
ice  or  Hudson's  Bay  route.  If  they  go  over  the  latter, 
let  them  take  plenty  of  horses  and  cattle  with  them  and 
they  will  have  no  trouble.' " 

Mr.  Riley  talks  about  six  tons  of  gold.  That  ap- 
pears to  be  fabulous,  but  it  is  impressed  upon  the 
minds  of  the  people  as  true ;  for  word  came  from  Wash- 
ington on  even  date  with  the  above  that  when  the 
steamer  Portland  conies  out  into  Bering  Sea  with  her 
load  of  virgin  gold,  on  her  last  trip,  she  will  be  con- 
voyed to  a  place  of  safety  by  one  of  the  revenue  cutters 
belonging  to  the  United  States  government,  now  on 
duty  in  northern  waters.  It  is  certain  that  instructions 
were  sent  to  Captain  Tuttle,  who  commands  the  Bear, 
to  act  as  convoy  to  the  treasure  steamer. 

These  facts  demonstrate  that  the  reports  of  the  Klon- 
dike gold  diggings  are  not  too  highly  colored.  It  is 
probably  nearer  the  truth  that  more  gold  came  out  of 
the  country  in  1897  than  there  is  any  report  of,  for 
the  reason  that  many  of  the  lucky  miners  are  very 
reticent  about  giving  an  account  of  their  successes. 

From  English  reports  recently  printed  it  is  evident 
that  there  is  much  anxiety  felt  in  London  as  to  the 
future  of  the  Golden  Northwest,  lest  -t  should  in  some 
unforeseen  manner  fall  under  the  jurisdiction  of  the 
United  States  government.  This  leads  us  to  a  few 
words  of  history. 

It  was  a  happy  day,  or  will  prove  such  for  perhaps 
millions  of  souls,  when,  in  1867,  Seward,  backed  by 
Sumner — acting  for  the  government  of  the  United 


100 


THE  GOLDEN  NORTH. 


States — purchased  Alaska  from  Russia  for  $7,200,000. 
The  purchase  was  generally  ridiculed  at  the  time,  and 
the  price  paid  was  characterized  as  extravagant.  No 
one  has  yet  given  a  true  reason  why,  on  the  part  of  the 
United  States  or  that  of  Russia,  the  purchase  and  sale 
were  made.  Many  explanations  have  been  made,  but 
this  is  the  true  one: 

England  and  Russia  were  the  only  nations  on  earth 
possessing  information  as  to  the  value  of  the  resources 
of  the  great  north.  The  former  received  its  knowledge 
through  the  officers,  traders  and  factors  of  the  Hud- 
son's Bay  Company.  When  Beaconsfield  realized  the 
situation,  he  determined  on  the  consolidations  of  the 
British  possessions  in  North  America.  The  late  Sir 
John  A.  Macdonald,  of  Canada,  was  his  chief  lieuten- 
ant in  the  work.  First  came  the  confederation  of  the 
four  eastern  Canadian  provinces.  Then  British  Co- 
lumbia was  added,  and  the  whole  Northwest  territory 
was  purchased  from  the  Hudson's  Bay  Company. 

Meanwhile  Beaconsfield  was  rea*  ling  out  for  Alas- 
ka, but  the  relations  between  Russia  and  England 
were  sufficiently  strained  in  1867  to  enable  Seward, 
who  was  watching  the  deal  closely,  to  step  in  and  make 
the  purchase.  In  this  way  the  United  States  obtained 
a  foothold  in  the  north.  The  wisdom  of  this  piece  of 
statecraft  is  only  beginnir.g  to  be  understood.  In  the 
years  to  come  it  will  be  seen  that  the  absorption  of  the 
whole  Dominion  of  Canada  by  the  United  States, 
which  must  come  as  a  legitimate  result  of  development 
on  this  continent,  will  be  accomplished  largely  through 
the  good  offices  of  Alaska. 

It  is  impossible  to  obtain  a  proper  conception  of  the 
great  north  by  confining  one's  studies  to  Alaska  prop- 
er. The  gold  diggers  on  the  upper  Yukon  find  them- 
selves on  both  sides  of  the  141st  degree,  which  is  the 
international  boundary  line.  The  Northwest  T  rri- 
tory,  and  indeed  he  whole  north  of  this  continent,  is 
one  and  inseparable.  Political  divisions  cut  but  little 
figure,  after  all,  in  the  development  of  natural  re- 


IMPORTANT  INTERNATIONAL  QUESTIONS.         101 

sources  in  a  vast  country  which  nature  has  not  been 
pleased  to  divide. 

It  is  a  fact  that  the  greater  part  of  the  Klondike  gold 
fields  are  in  British  territory.  So  are  Dawson  City 
and  Fort  Cudahy.  So  are  the  rich,  illimitable  areas  of 
park  country — lying  as  low  as  400  to  600  feet  above  the 
level  of  the  sea — which  stretch  out  from  Lake  Atha- 
basca, westward  along  the  Peace  and  Athabasca  rivers 
to  the  foothills  of  the  Rockies ;  northward  to  and  along 
the  upper  waters  of  the  mighty  Mackenzie,  to  the  64th 
parallel;  eastward  to  the  head  waters  of  the  great 
Churchill;  and  southward,  including  the  whole  valley 
of  the  Peace  River,  stretching  away  to  the  north 
branch  of  the  Saskatchewan. 

This  vast  basin,  many  times  greater  than  that  of  the 
Mississippi,  in  which  all  the  states  northwest  of  the 
Ohio  and  southeast  of  the  Missouri  could  be  dupli- 
cated, is  sufficiently  broad  and  productive  to  furnish 
the  world's  population  with  bread  and  meat  for  many 
centuries  to  come. 

What  then  of  poHtical  boundary  lines?  Canadian 
enterprise  is  too  feeble  and  British  push  too  slow  to 
populate  and  develop  such  a  country.  It  is  left  to  the 
people  of  the  United  States  to  go  in  and  possess  the 
land,  and  as  soon  as  they  become  informed  of  the 
boundless  wealth  there — awaiting  the  pick  and  the 
pan,  the  crusher  and  the  stamp-mill,  the  rancher  and 
the  husbandman — they  will  go;  and  they  will  carry 
the  stars  and  stripes  with  them.  This  will  seal  the  po- 
litical destiny  of  the  great  far  Northwest. 

Before  lOther  generation  has  risen,  it  is  possible 
that  the  flag  of  the  United  States  will  be  flying  not  only 
from  Sitka  and  St.  Michaels,  not  only  from  Juneau  and 
Circle  City,  but  above  all  the  mining  camps  and  trad- 
ing posts  from  Rampart  House  to  the  valley  of  the 
Peace  River  and  the  western  shores  of  Hudson's  Bay. 

It  is  significant  that  the  national  government  has 
determined  to  establish  an  experimental  farm  to  test 
the  productive  qualities  of  the  soil  in  the  valleys  of 


■, 


102 


THE  GOLDEN  NORTH. 


Alaska.  This  is  the  beginning  of  the  end.  There  can 
be  but  one  resuh  of  such  an  undertaking.  The  great 
value  and  productiveness  of  the  soil  of  the  north  is 
already  known  to  Great  Britain,  and  will  soon  become 
equally  well  understood  and  appreciated  by  the  peo- 
ple of  the  United  States.  Who  can  foretell  the  out- 
come? It  may  be  a  quarrel  over  the  sealing  grounds; 
and  it  is  safe  to  say  that  nothing  could  familiarize  the 
people  of  this  country  with  the  resources  of  the  great 
north  so  effectively  as  marching  an  army  of  a  few  hun- 
dred thousand  people  across  the  49th  parallel  over  the 
branches  of  the  Saskatchewan,  through  the  illimitable 
park  country  of  the  Peace  River  valley,  across  the 
head  waters  of  the  Mackenzie  and  the  summit  of  the 
Rockies,  and  thence  to  the  Klondike. 

Secretary  Sherman  has  already  sounded  the  key- 
note, and  the  British  press  is  talking  back  impudently. 
These  mutterings  may  ultimately  culminate  in  a  storm 
over  the  possession  of  the  great  northwest  which,  what- 
ever other  result  might  follow,  would,  more  than  any- 
thing else,  tend  to  populate  it  and  develop  its  vast  re- 
sources. If  we  are  ever  going  to  have  a  war  with  Eng- 
land, as  a  solution  of  the  hard  times  problem,  or  other- 
wise, by  all  means  let  it  be  a  war  for  the  possession  of 
the  great  north;  for  that  would  advertise  the  country 
to  the  world,  and  send  hundreds  and  thousands  from 
the  overcrowded  cities  of  this  country  to  find  happy 
homes  of  peace  and  plenty  in  that  region. 

But  it  is  more  agreeable  and,  of  course,  much  more 
reasonable  to  think  of  the  colonization  and  develop- 
ment of  the  Golden  North  by  peaceful  methods.  In- 
ternational difficulties  likely  to  be  met  with  will  doubt- 
less be  solved  peacefully,  and  the  vast  resources  of 
the  north 'land  appropriated  to  the  profit  of  both  the 
countries  immediately  interested. 

In  a  recent  newspaper  cablegram  from  London  it  is 
stated:  "The  Marquis  of  Lome,  in  a  signed  state- 
ment, expresses  the  confidence  of  British  statesmen  in 
the  ability  of  the  Canadian  government  to  retain  their 


IMPORTANT  INTERNATIONAL  QUESTIONS.       I03 

supremacy  and  maintain  their  hold  of  Klondike.'''  At 
the  same  time  there  is  no  denying  that  a  feeHng  of  un- 
easiness begins  to  be  feU  in  London  over  the  Uability 
o(  conflict  between  Canadian  and  American  interests. 
Englishmen  believe  Canada  should  control  the  Klon- 
dike and  would  support  Canada  in  any  restrictions 
upon  American  enterprise,  no  matter  how  severe.  The 
opinion  is  commonly  expressed  that  Canadians  should 
do  precisely  what  the  Boers  did  at  Johannesburg,  hold 
the  mines  and  tax  the  Uitlanders,  not  seeing  that  this 
would  give  the  Americans  justification  for  a  Jameson 
raid.  But  the  inherent  weakness  of  Canada  is  felt  in 
the  remoteness  of  the  diggings  and  the  necessity  of 
reaching  them^through  American  territory." 

The  last  sentence  of  the  above  is  absolutely  ridicu- 
lous. There  is  no  necessity  for  the  British  or  the 
Canadians  reaching  the  country  through  American 
territory.  They  have  a  far  shorter  and  better  route 
by  way  of  the  Canadian  Pacific  Railway  to  Edmonton, 
thence  overland  through  the  Peace  River  country  and 
across  the  head  waters  of  the  Mackenzie,  as  before 
stated.    The  report  continues: 

"Englishmen  admit  the  Klondike  is  now  controlled 
by  Americans,  but  these  are  described  in  papers  here 
as  plunderers,  ruflfians  and  outlaws.  The  attempts  of 
the  Canadian  authorities  to  enforce  the  new  and  spe- 
cial taxes  upon  Americans  going  to  the  Klondike  are 
described  as  maintaining  order  and  enforcing  law. 
Fears  are  expressed  that  Canadian  customs  officers  at- 
tempting to  collect  taxes  at  Skaguay  will  be  wiped  out 
by  the  Americans,  and  that  the  few  Canadian  officers 
at  Dawson  will  be  laughed  at  and  defied  and  the  stars 
and  stripes  raised  by  mob  over  the  Klondike  region. 

"In  that  event  it  is  said  a  strong  force  will  "be  sent  at 
once  to  the  diggings,  for  England  wants  gold  and 
hates  to  see  it  go  to  the  United  States.  Any  conflict 
or  bloodshed  between  Americans  and  Canadian  offi- 
cers would  at  once  raise  the  most  serious  complica- 
tions. 


104 


THE  GOLDEN  NORTH. 


I 


't 


! 


"Manv  Englishmen  fear  the  proximity  of  the  Klon- 
dike to  the  Alaskan  boundary,  the  sensational  wealth 
of  the  mines,  and  the  mad  rush  now  being  made,  will 
end  in  war  between  England  and  the  United  States. 
One  London  paper  has  already  announced  that  Ameri- 
can politicians  and  journalists  are  now  scheming  to 
bring  on  war  through  the  Klondike  with  a  view  of  an- 
nexing Canada,  and  warns  readers  to  be  prepared  for 
violent  exhibitions  of  ill  feeling. 

"Shrewd  observers  here,  however,  say  England 
would  put  up  with  almost  anything  rather  than  incur 
the  risks  of  such  a  conflict,  with  the  inevitable  loss  of 
Canada.  London  speculators  are  looking  enviously 
toward  the  Klondike,  but  think  Wall  street  will  have 
the  first  picking  and  that  England  will  get  left  in  the 
rake-off.  Nevertheless,  many  Klondike  schemes  are 
being  floated  and  the  newspapers  are  printing  full  ac- 
counts of  the  new  diggings." 

Chicago,  more  than  any  other  city  in  the  world,  is 
deeply  interested  in  this  continuation  of  the  northwest- 
ward march  of  civilir  \tion  and  material  progress.  This 
city  must  reach  the  Klondike  by  rail,  not  only  for  the 
tons  of  yellow  metal  which  lie  hidden  in  the  sands  and 
rocks  along  the  gulches  and  hills  bordering  the  tribu- 
taries of  the  upper  Yukon,  but  also  for  the  measureless 
bread  and  meat  resources  of  the  boundless  country 
which  lie  between,  and  which  spreads  out  in  rich,  broad 
valleys. 

There  should  be  no  delay  in  this  undertaking.  Na- 
ture has  already  provided  a  highway  for  our  British 
competitor.  London  and  Chicago  are  the  natural 
competitors  for  the  boundless  wealth  of  the  great 
north.  At  first  sight  it  may  appear  that  London  is  so 
much  farther  from  the  Klondike  than  Chicago  that 
competition  is  out  of  the  question.  Not  so.  The 
Hudson's  Bay  route  is  not  new  lo  the  world  of  enter- 
prise. It  is  only  1,500  milrs  from  Churchill  on  the 
west  shore  of  Hudson's  Bay  to  the  upper  Yukon,  and 
the  highest  elevation  of  the  Rockies  to  be  crossed  is 


• 


""''"ly'i'i'".' 


,iil|W,(piiyira.,ijlil.i.,!ii  ,J]l„l-l(l       1UIUI,!|^»«^«W 


■iUiiliiJimpiiiijifiipigpH 


IMPORTANT  INTERNATIONAL  QUESTIONS.       IO5 

scarcely  over  2,0(X)  feet.  Compare  this  with  the 
Rocky  Mountain  grades  of  the  Canadian  Pacific,  the 
Northern  Pacific,  the  Union  Pacific  and  the  Southern 
Pacific,  and  the  advantages  of  the  more  northern  route 
are  wonderful  to  contemplate. 

A  railroad  from  Churchill  to  the  Klondike  would 
pass  through  the  great  valleys  of  the  Peace  River  to  the 
upper  Mackenzie,  and  might  diverge  to  the  north, 
from  the  neighborhood  of  Lake  Athabaska,  reaching 
the  head  waters  of  the  Yukon  with  even  a  less  elevation 
than  2,000  feet. 

The  distance  from  Churchill — where  there  is  one 
of  the  finest  harbors  in  the  world,  open  the  year  round 
— to  Liverpool,  by  way  of  Hudson's  Bay  and  Strait,  is 
only  2,960,  and  as  transportation  by  water  is  so  much 
cheaper  than  that  by  rail,  it  will  be  seen  that,  for 
seven  months  in  the  year  at  least,  England  could  tap 
the  resources  of  the  great  Northwest  almost  as  effec- 
tively as  could  Chicago  by  rail  across  the  plains. 

At  this  point  a  suggestion  to  the  capitalists  of  Chi- 
cago may  be  ventured.  While  companies  are  being 
incorporated  for  the  purposes  of  carrying  supplier  to 
the  Klondike  gold  fields,  and  of  developing  the  gold 
mines  located  there,  this  question  of  a  railroad  from 
Chicago  to  the  head  waters  of  the  Yukon  through 
American  and  Canadian  territory  should  not  be  left 
without  solution.  Capital  and  push  will  build  a  rail- 
way from  Chicago  to  Bering  Sea,  over  a  route  passing 
through  the  richest  country  on  the  face  of  the  earth. 
There  are  not  more  than  500  miles  of  territory  in  the 
whole  distance  that  is  not  either  habitable  and  pro- 
ductive, or  rich  in  gold  fields.  Congress  would  no 
doubt  respond  by  assisting  such  an  enterprise  both 
with  money  and  an  Alaskan  land  grant.  Such  an  en- 
terprise would  necessarily  be  of  an  international  char- 
acter. However,  Chicago  has  vast  interests  at  stake 
in  the  solution  of  this  problem,  and  those  who  become 
the  pioneers  in  such  an  undertaking  will  not  only  reap 
material  rewards  but  write  their  names  in  history  as 

8 


io6 


THE  GOLOEN  NORTH. 


I 


founders  of  a  new  empire,  besides  opening  the  way  to 
relicr  for  the  hundreds  of  thousands  of  the  unemployed 
and  suffering  of  our  own  population. 

The  international  boundary  question  in  the  far 
Northwest  is  practically  settled.  General  Duffield,  of 
the  coast  and  geodetic  survey  of  the  United  States 
government,  recently  said: 

"I  do  not  believe  that  when  the  matter  of  the  bound- 
ary line  between  the  two  countries  is  definitely  settled 
there  will  be  any  appreciable  change  from  what  is 
down  on  the  map  at  present.  There  certainly  will  not 
be  as  far  as  regards  the  Klondike  region,  which  is  be- 
yond all  manner  of  dispute  in  the  British  Northwest 
territory. 

"Dawson  City  is  a  hundred  miles  or  more  east  of 
the  141st  meridian,  which  is  the  boundary  line.  Mount 
St.  Elias  is  near  the  intersection  of  the  ten  marine 
league  line  with  the  141st  meridian.  To  be  exact,  the 
summit  is  140  degrees  and  55  minutes,  or  5  minutes, 
on  the  Canaaian  side,  which  in  that  latitude  represents 
two  and  one-half  miles.  But  on  the  southern  side  it 
is  only  twenty-eight  and  one  half-miles  from  the  coast, 
which  brings  it  inside  of  the  ten  league  line,  or  thirty 
mile  limit,  and  one  and  one-half  miles  on  American 
soil. 

"At  Forty  Mile  Creek  our  survey  agrees  with  that 
of  the  Canadian  survey  under  Ogilvie  within  fourteen 
hundredths  of  a  second,  which  in  that  latitude  repre- 
sents six  and  a  half  feet.  The  Canadian  line  steals  the 
six  and  a  half  feet  from  us.  Crossing  the  Yukon 
River  the  difference  in  the  two  surveys  is  fourteen  sec- 
onds, which  in  that  latitude  represents  300  feet.  Ac- 
cording to  the  line  of  Ogilvie,  the  Canadian  govern- 
ment surveyor,  we  gain  300  feet  on  the  British  side. 

"We  are  anxious  to  compare  the  two  lines  at  the 
Porcupine  River  crossing,  which  is  several  miles  fur- 
ther north,  but  the  Canadian  government  has  given 
us  no  notice  of  where  it  has  fixed  its  line  there.  I  do 
not  suppose  that  the  difference  will  be  worthy  of  note." 


^^     >S^%n     iv  i»V-^ 


^.^«irs':^^fitmi^^ 


IMPORTANT  INTERNATIONAL  gUESTlONS.      107 
General  Duffield  added  that  if  there  i,  »„„  ^-      . 


liii 


aiiiifii  Ifi  iffit  riYi  ''■ 


io8 


THE  GOLDEN  NORTH. 


CHAPTER  XVI. 

THE  GREAT  FERTILE  NORTH. 

A  boundless  territory  of  inexhaustible  bread,  meat  and 
dairy  capabilities — Coal  and  other  resources — How  the 
lower  levels  are  uheltered  from  storms  and  cold. 

We  now  come  to  make  some  observations  on  that 
vast  portion  of  the  far  northwest  lying  east  of  the 
Rocky  Mountains  and  north  of  the  6oth  parallel,  and 
between  it  and  the  Arctic  Circle.  This  area,  including 
the  upper  Klondike  country,  contains  nearly  1,000,000 
square  miles,  rich  in  timber,  furs,  fish,  gold  and  min- 
erals generally,  with  vast  areas  of  good  coal. 

To  the  south  of  this  district,  and  on  the  west,  lies 
British  Columbia,  bounded  on  the  north  by  the  6oth 
parallel.  While  further  east,  and  to  the  south,  are  the 
provisional  territories  of  Athabasca,  in  the  Peace  Riv- 
er region,  with  104,500  square  miles;  Alberta,  with 
106,100  square  miles;  Saskatchewan,  with  107,092 
square  miles;  Assiniboia,  with  90,000  square  miles; 
and  to  the  east  of  this,  the  district  of  Keewatin,  with 
282,000  square  miles ;  and  to  the  south  of  the  latter  is 
the  province  of  Manitoba,  with  73,956  square  miles. 
British  Columbia  has  an  area  of  383,300?  square  miles. 

The  territory  east  of  Keewatin  and  south  of  Hud- 
son's Bay,  known  as. the  Eastern  District,  contains 
196,800  square  miles.  The  Hudson's  Bay  territory 
proper  contains  358,000  square  miles.  The  river  ba- 
sins which  compose  this  great  north  country  have  al- 
ready been  quite  fully  described.  These  areas  including 
the  older  provinces  of  Canada  are  equally  as  large  as 
the  whole  of  Europe  and  about  500,000  square  miles 
larger  than  the  United  States  without  Alaska,  and  of 
about  equal  extent  to  the  United  States  including 
Alaska. 


THE  GREAT  FERTILE  NORTH. 


109 


In  order  to  complete  our  observations  on  the  entire 
north  country,  we  must  look  with  some  care  upon  the 
several  divisions  above  named,  commencing  with 
Manitoba,  which,  however,  is  so  well  known  that  it  will 
not  be  necessary  to  dwell  at  any  length  on  that  part  of 
the  country.  Manitoba  is  situated  in  the  very  center 
of  the  continent,  being  midway  between  the  Atlantic 
and  Pacific  oceans  on  the  east  and  west,  and  the  Arctic 
Ocean  and  the  Gulf  of  Mexico  on  the  north  and  south. 
This  province  is  now  well  settled  and  enjoys  a  high 
grade  of  schools,  colleges,  churches  and  a  well  devel- 
oped social  life.  The  climate  is  warm  in  summer  and 
cold  in  winter.  The  summer  mean  is  65  to  70  degrees, 
about  the  same  as  that  of  the  state  of  New  York,  but 
in  winter  the  thermometer  falls  below  zero,  frequently 
from  30  to  40  degrees.  However,  the  atmosphere  is 
bright  and  dry,  and  the  cold  is  not  so  unpleasant  as 
that  of  less  cold  temperatures  in  the  humid  districts 
farther  to  the  south.  It  may  be  not;iced  here  that  the 
isothermal  line  running  from  Winnipeg,  the  capital  of 
Manitoba,  bears  duly  northwest  until  Fort  Simpson, 
on  the  Mackenzie  River,  is  reached.  Indeed,  it  may 
be  said  that  there  are  higher  temperatures,  in  the  cold 
season,  farther  to  the  northwest  than  at  Winnipeg. 
The  country  is  one"  of  the  healthiest  on  the  globe,  and 
is  exceedingly  pleasant  to  live  in.  There  are  no  dis- 
eases whatever  arising  out  of  the  climate.  Occasion- 
ally there  are  summer  frosts,  but  these  do  not  prove 
severe  oftener  than  once  in  seven  years. 

Very  little  snow  falls  on  the  prairies — and  this  is  all 
a  prairie  country  for  thousands  of  miles  in  every  direc- 
tion where  the  soil  has  been  developed — the  depth  of 
the  snow  ranging  from  six  to  twelve  and  eighteen 
inches.  Native  horses  can  graze  out  of  doors  all  win- 
ter, which  they  do  by  pawing  the  snow  off  the  grass. 
The  snow  disappearr  and  plowing  begins  about  the 
middle  of  April,  sometimes  earlier.  The  Red  River, 
which  flows  from  the  interior  of  Minnesota  northward 
to  Lake  Winnipeg,  opens  about  the  same  time.    There 


110 


THE  GOLDEN  NORTH. 


is  practically  no  spring.  Winter  bursts  into  summer 
during  the  month  of  April.  The  summer  months  in- 
clude May,  June,  July,  August  and  September.  Au- 
tumn lasts  until  the  end  of  November,  when  the  regi  - 
lar  frosts  set  in.  Harvest  work  is  always  completed 
by  the  middle  of  September. 

The  soil  is  a  rich,  deep  black  mold  or  loam  resting 
on  a  thick,  very  tenacious  subsoil  of  clay.  It  is  held  to 
be,  together  with  that  of  the  vast  regions  northwest  of 
it,  the  richest  soil  in  the  world,  and  is  especially  adapt- 
ed to  the  growth  of  wheat.  This  wheat  brings  a  higher 
price  in  the  world's  markets  than  that  grown  in  any 
other  portion  of  North  America.  Water  is  almost 
everywhere  found  by  digging  wells  of  moderate  depth. 
The  rivers  and  coulees  are  also  available  for  water  sup- 
ply during  the  spring  and  early  summer.  Rain  falls 
freely  during  the  spring,  but  the  summer  and  autumn 
are  generally  dry. 

Agricultural  pursuits  are  highly  developed  in  Mani- 
toba, there  being  in  the  present  season  about  2,500,000 
acres  of  land  devoted  to  the  production  of  wheat,  oats, 
barley,  flax,  rye,  pease,  com,  potatoes  and  roots.  The 
yield  for  the  present  year  is  not  yet  known,  but  it  is 
estimated  to  be:  Wheat,  40,000,000  bushels;  oats, 
25,000,000  bushels;  barley,  6,000,000  bushels;  flax, 
1,300,000  bushels;  rye,  70,000,000  bushels;  pease,  30,- 
•000,000  bushels.  The  potato  and  root  crops  have  also 
been  very  successful.  The  inhabitants  of  that  province 
are  confident  of  a  great  future  for  their  country  from 
an  agricultural  point  of  view.  Small  fruits,  such  as 
strawberries,  raspberries,  currants,  gooseberries,  cran- 
berries, plurns,  etc.,  are  plentiful,  and  wild  grapes  are 
very  common.  Stock  raising  has  been  carried  on  in 
Manitoba  very  successfully,  but  is  conducted  on  a 
much  larger  scale  in  the  districts  farther  to  the  west. 
This  province  has  railway  communication  with  the  At- 
lantic and  Pacific  oceans  and  all  parts  of  the  country 
to  the  south  of  it. 

Very  much  that  has  been  said  respecting  the  soil, 


IP 


■Pllpp~" 


^m^mmm 


THE  GREAT  FERTILE  NORTH. 


Ill 


climate  and  productions  of  Manitoba  apply  equally  to 
almost  all  the  northwest  country  tz'^t  of  the  Rocky 
Mountains.  To  the  north  and  west  ot  that  province 
extends  the  region  known  as  the  North- West  Terri- 
tories of  Canada.  It  is  bounded  on  the  south  by  the 
49th  parallel,  which  dfvides  central  Canada  from  the 
United  States.  A  remarkable  feature  of  this  great 
area  is  its  division  into  three  distinct  prairie  plains  or 
plateaus,  as  they  are  generally  callea.  The  first  of 
these  is  known  as  the  Red  River  Valley  and  Lake 
Winnipeg  Plateau.  The  average  height  above  the 
level  of  the  sea  of  this  district  is  about  800  feet.  At  the 
boundary  line  it  is  1,000  feet.  The  second  plateau  or 
steppe  has  an  average  altitude  of  1,600  feet,  and  a 
width  of  about  250  miles.  It  is  a  rich,  undulating, 
park-like  country.  It  includes  the  Assiniboine  and 
-Qu'Appelle  valleys.  The  third  plateau,  or  steppe,  be- 
gins on  the  boundary  line  at  the  104th  degree,  where 
it  has  an  elevation  of  about  2,000  feec.  and  extends 
west  for  465  miles,  to  the  foot  of  the  Rocky  Mountains, 
where  it  has  an  altitude  of  4,200  feet,  making  an  aver- 
age height  above  the  sea  of  3,000  feet.  A  fourth  vast 
prairie  stcpf  e,  larger  than  the  other  three  together,  lies 
north  and  northwest  of  the  last  tv/o  named  and  in- 
cludes the  Peace  River  and  upper  Mackenzie  basins. 
This  region  is  stil]  more  fertile  and  better  adapted  to 
stock  raising  than  that  immediately  to  the  south  of  it. 
This  is  because  its  surface  does  not  rise  above  sea  level 
more  than  from  400  to  800  feet. 

It  is  an  asrertjiined  fact  in  meteorological  phenom- 
ena that  the  cold  storm- waves  which  rise  in  the  arctic 
pass  over  the  lower  levels  to  burst  in  tempestuous  fury 
and  low  temperatures  on  approaching  the  watershed 
near  the  49th  parallel,  or  the  foothills  of  the  Rockies. 


: 


''       If 


3 


CANADIAN  NORTHWEST. 


Districts  of  Assiniboia,  Saskatchewan,  Alberta  and  Atha- 
baska — The  vast  fertile  plains  to  the  north — Greatest 
agricultural  and  stock  raising  region  on  earth. 

In  this  connection  we  continue  our  observations  on 
the  prairie  and  plain  regions  of  the  Canadian  North- 
west lying  east  of  the  Rockies,  before  covering  the 
overland  routes  through  the  mountains  to  the  Klon- 
dike country,  north  of  the  6oth  parallel,  before  re- 
ferred to. 

The  District  of  Assiniboia  comprises  an  area,  as 
already  stated,  of  90,000  square  miles.  The  valley  of 
the  Qu'Appelle  is  in  the  district  of  Assiniboia,  being  on 
the  second  plateau  or  s*^eppe  of  the  continent,  reaching 
from  the  Red  River  to  the  Rockv  Mountains.  This 
valley  is  a  favored  part  of  the  Northwest,  and  settle- 
ment in  it  is  proceeding  with  surprising  rapidity.  The 
transcontinental  road  traverses  the  whole  breadth  of 
the  district,  entering  it  a  few  miles  east  of  Moosomin, 
about  200  miles  west  of  Winnipeg.  This  rapidly  ris- 
ing town  lies  in  the  center  of  a  highly  favored  district 
where  mixed  farming  vies  with  wh^^at  growing  for  the 
place  of  first  interest.  The  railroad  affords  opportun- 
ity for  the  location  of  numerous  market  towns,  advan- 
tage of  which  has  already  been  taken  at  many  points. 
In  districts  at  some  distance  from  the  railroad,  the 
ranching  industry  is  lesf  impeded  by  the  pursuits  of 
agriculture,  and  z,  large  number  of  Assiniboia-fed  ani- 
mals now  find  their  way  each  season  to  the  English 
market.  The  Manitoba  and  Northwestern  road  en- 
ters the  territories  in  the  northern  part  of  Assiniboia 
and  runs  through  a  prosperous  district,  the  principal 
points  in  which  are  the  towns  of  Saltcoats  and  York- 


CANADIAN  NORTHWEST. 


"3 


ton.  Railroad  communication  is  also  provided  for  the 
settlers  in  the  southern  part  of  the  district  by  the  Souris 
branch  of  the  Canadian  Pacific,  which  joins  liie  north- 
ern and  southern  extensions — more  familiarly  known 
as  the  "Soo"  line — at  Elstevan.  This  latter  road  gives 
a  direct  means  of  communication  with  many  of  the 
large  centers  of  the  United  States.  At  several  points 
on  this  latter  road  coal  is  mined,  which,  thot'gh  it  is 
not  of  high  quality,  effectually  settles  the  fuel  problem, 
as  it  gives  excellent  satisfaction — both  for  cooking  and 
heating  purposes — when  used  with  suitable  appliances, 
while  the  low  cost  of  production  keeps  its  price  within 
reasonable  limits.  In  con.mon  with  other  places  in 
the  Northwest  Territories,  the  dairy  industry  is  taking 
a  leading  part  in  the  up-building  of  Assiniboia,  there 
being  but  few  settled  localities  that  are  not  within  easy 
reach  of  a  creamery  or  cheese  factory.  At  present  the 
principal  market  for  these  products  is  found  in  the 
mountains  of  British  Columbia,  but  not  a  little  is 
shipped  to  points  across  the  Pacific,  Japan,  especially, 
being  a  large  consumer  of  prairie-made  butter. 

At  present  Moose  Jaw,  the  northern  terminus  of  the 
"Soo"  line,  may  be  described  as  being  the  western  limit 
of  the  purely  agricultural  area  of  Assiniboia,  the  whole 
country  west  of  this  point  being,  in  the  main,  devoted 
to  pastoral  pursuits.  The  western  part  of  Assiniboia, 
like  the  southern  part  of  Alberta,  bordering  on  the 
arid  regions  of  the  continent,  is  but  sub-humid,  and  its 
rainfall,  though  admirably  suited  to  a  grazing  country, 
is  no"t  at  all  times  sufficient  to  produce  cereal  and  root 
crops  in  such  abundance  as  is  done  elsewhere  in  the 
territories  where  the  natural  conditions  are  more  fa- 
vorable. But  the  cattle  of  these  western  plains  fully 
demonstrate  that  the  ability  of  the  country  to  sustain 
animal  life  has  not  departed  with  the  buffalo  that,  not 
many  years  ago,  roamed  these  regions.  The  district 
is  everywhere  covered  with  a  short,  thick,  rich  grass, 
which  is  unusually  nutritious.  Towards  the  middle 
of  summer  the  grass  presents  to  the  eye  a  dried  and 


"4 


THE  GOLDEN  NORTH. 


I 


I-! 


burned  appearance,  but  is  in  reality  only  cured,  and 
retains  aP  its  natural  sustenance.  In  this  condition  it 
is  devoured  by  animals  with  avidity,  and  they  fatten 
upon  it  to  a  surprising  degree.  The  principal  points 
in  the  wes'em  part  of  Assiniboia  open  for  grazing 
leases  lie  in  the  hills  to  the  south  of  the  railroad,  and 
are  to  be  reached  from  all  points  between  Swift  Cur- 
rent and  Medicine  Hat. 

The  Dominion  E:cperimental  Farm  for  the  North- 
west Territories  is  located  at  Indian  Head  in  Eastern 
Assiniboia,  where  extensive  experiments  in  the  selec- 
tion of  horned  cattle,  horses,  sheep,  pigs,  grains,  roots, 
trees  and  grasses,  suitable  to  the  climate  are  continu- 
ally being  made,  and  much  of  the  improvement  to  be 
noticed  in  the  methods  of  agriculture  in  the  Territories 
may  be  directly  traced  to  the  experimental  work  done 
at  this  roteworthy  institution. 

The  seat  of  the  Territorial  Government  is  established 
at  Regina,  where  the  Lieutenant-Governor  and  mem- 
bers of  the  local  administration  reside.  This  place  is 
also  the  headquarters  of  the  Indian  Department  for 
Manitoba  and  the  Northwest,  and  also  of  the  North- 
west Mounted  Police.  From  Regina  a  railway  runs 
north  to  Prince  Albert  on  the  Saskatchewan,  which  at 
present  forms  the  only  means  of  rapid  communication 
between  this  district  and  the  markets  of  the  world. 

The  district  of  the  Saskatchewan  lies  to  the  north  of 
Assiniboia  and  the  province  of  Manitoba,  and  com- 
prises about  107,000  square  miles.  But  a  sm^.ll  portion 
of  the  district  has,  as  yet,  been  opened  up  by  settlement, 
which  has  mainly  sought  the  banks  of  both  branches 
of  the  river  from  which  the  district  takes  its  name.  The 
oldest  settlements  in  the  Northwest  are  to  be  found 
on  the  Saskatchewan,  which  for  many  years  formed  the 
highway  along  which  the  furs  exported  by  the  Hud- 
son's Bay  Company  from  the  districts  to  the  far  north- 
west were  carried.  Notable  among  these  are  the  set- 
tlements of  Prince  Albert  and  Battleford,  which  latter 
place  was  for  a  number  of  years  the  seat  of  the  Terri- 


CANADIAN  NORTHWEST. 


"5 


torial  Government,  but,  on  the  constniction  of  the 
Canadian  Pacific  Railroad,  it  was  deemed  advisable  to 
remove  the  departmental  officials  to  a  point  nearer  the 
railroad. 

On  account  of  its  present  difficulties  of  access,  this 
district  is  not  filling  up  so  rapidly  as  the  neighboring 
districts  of  Assiniboia  and  Alberta,  but  its  immense 
resources  are  not  altogether  overlooked  by  new  set- 
tlers, and  a  steady  growth  of  population  is  reported. 
The  Manitoba  and  Northwestern  road  is  chartered  to 
build  to  Prince  Albert,  and  other  roads  are  projected 
to  various  points  on  the  Saskatchewan  River,  which, 
when  completed,  will  open  up  a  district  of  marvelous 
fertility.  At  present  the  only  means  of  access  to  this 
district  by  railway  is  by  the  Qu'Appelle,  Long  Lake 
and  Saskatchewan  road,  which  nrns  into  Prince  Albert 
from  Regina,  but  other  parts  c/  the  district  are  easily 
reached  by  means  of  well-equipped  stage  lines.  Set- 
tlement in  this  district  preceded  railroad  construction 
in  the  Northwest  by  a  number  of  years,  and  there  are 
to-day  probably  no  more  prosperous  and  satisfied  peo- 
ple in  the  country  than  those  who  thus  braved  the 
vicissitudes  and  trials  of  frontier  life.  These,  however, 
are  now  almost  altogether  obviated,  and  the  new- 
comer who  takes  up  land  in  any  portion  of  this  dis- 
trict will  find  himself  within  reach  of  all  the  comforts 
and  most  of  the  luxuries  of  life. 

In  addition  to  the  older  towns  of  Battleford  and 
Prince  Albert,  bright  settlements  are  springing  up  at 
Jackfish  Lake,  Turtle  Lake,  Duck  Lake,  Shell  River, 
Rosthern,  Stony  Creek,  Carlton,  Carrot  River,  Kinis- 
tino.  Birch  Hills,  The  Fc-ks,  St.  Laurent,  St.  Louis 
DeLangevin  and  other  places.  In  all  these  neighbor- 
hoods there  are  still  large  tracts  open  to  the  home- 
seeker  on  the  usual  government  terms  of  i6o  acres  free 
to  any  settler  who  takes  up  the  land  to  live  on  it  and 
cultivate  it. 

The  principal  crops  are  wheat,  oats,  barley  and  roots, 
which  are  raised  successfully  and  in  abundance.    The 


Im 


',•'1 
\4  -n 


ii6 


THE  GOLDEN  NORTH. 


\ 


average  yield  of  wheat  (red  fyfe)  is  about  30  bushels 
to  the  acre  in  ordinary  seasons,  from  the  sowing  of  one 
to  one  and  a  half  bushels.  Oats  give  a  twenty-five  fold 
increase.  Though  the  district  has  proved  an  admira- 
ble one  for  the  cultivation  of  barley,  yet  the  small  de- 
mand for  this  cereal  has  hitherto  kept  its  production 
in  the  background.  It  being  necessary  at  times  to 
provide  food  and  shelter  for  stock  in  winter,  ani- 
mals succeed  better  in  the  hands  of  the  farmer  than 
of  the  rancher.  For  herds  of  from  200  to  400  head  no 
portion  of  the  Territories  oflfers  better  openings,  but 
the  farmer  who  has  his  160-acre  farm  well  stocked  suc- 
ceeds equally  well  with  his  ambitious  neighbor. 

The  Saskatchewan  district  answers  all  the  require- 
ments of  a  good  dairy  district,  pure  water,  cool  nights 
and  rich  grasses.  Every  few  miles  there  are  streams 
fed  by  living  springs,  all  tributary  to  the  main  river; 
while  large  lakes  of  fresh  water  are  to  be  found  in  all 
directions.  The  whole  of  the  district  is  well  wooded, 
and  the  park-like  character  of  the  scenery  has  been 
spoken  of  in  appreciative  terms  by  travelers  of  all 
classes. 

The  climate  of  the  Saskatchewan  district  is  pleasant 
during  nearly  every  portion  of  the  year.  Occasional 
storms  occur  in  winter,  but,  speaking  generally,  the 
weather,  even  during  the  coldest  periods  of  winter,  is 
pleasant.  The  summer  temperature  averages  about  60 
degrees,  the  numberless  lakes  and  vast  water  stretches 
probably  accounting  for  this  equability  of  tempera- 
ture. The  tenderest  of  garden  produce,  such  as  melons, 
cucumbers,  pumpkins,  squash,  corn,  tomatoes  and 
beans  are  grown  every  year  in  the  open  air  successfully, 
which  is  sufficient  proof  of  the  immunity  of  the  district 
from  summer  frosts. 

The  sportsman  will  find  this  whole  region  a  con- 
tinual charm.  Fish  are  caught  in  nearly  all  the  lakes 
and  rivers,  while  the  prairie  and  woods  teem  with 
feathered  game  and  deer  of  all  descriptions. 

The  District  of  Alberta  comprises  an  area  of  about 


r^^ 


mm 


I  bushels 
\g  of  one 
-five  fold 
admira- 
smali  de- 
oduction 
times  to 
iter,  ani- 
mer  than 
)  head  no 
ings,  but 
eked  suc- 
or. 

I  require- 
)ol  nights 
e  streams 
ain  river; 
und  in  all 
1  wooded, 
has  been 
ers  of  all 

pleasant 
)ccasional 
rally,   the 
winter,  is 
about  60 
stretches 
tempera- 
is  melons, 
toes    and 
cessfully, 
le  district 

Dn  a  con- 
the  lakes 
2em   with 

of  about 


CANADIAN  NORTHWEST. 


117 


106,000  square  miles.  It  is  bounded  on  the  south  by 
the  international  boundary;  on  the  east  by  the  districts 
of  Assiniboia  and  Saskatchewan;  on  the  west  by  the 
province  of  British  Columbia,  at  the  summits  of  the 
Rocky  Mountains ;  and  on  the  north  by  the  eighteenth 
correction  line,  which  is  near  the  fifty-fifth  parallel  of 
latitude. 

Nature  has  been  lavish  in  its  gifts  to  Alberta.  A 
great  portion  of  the  district,  being  immediately  related 
to  the  Rocky  Mountains,  has  scenery  of  magnificent 
beauty,  and  the  numerous  cold  rivers  and  streams 
which  flow  into  it  from  the  mountains  are  as  clear  and 
blue  as  the  sky  above  them,  and  abound  with  mag- 
nificent trout. 

The  great  natural  beauties  of  Alberta  suggest  that 
these  foothills  and  spurs  of  the  Rocky  Mountains  will 
be  the  favorite  resort  of  tourists  and  health-seekers, 
when  the  eastern  plains  shall  have  received  their  popu- 
lation of  millions.  This  district  may  also  be  said  to 
be  pre-eminently  the  dairy  region  of  America.  Its 
cold,  clear  streams  and  rich  and  luxuriant  grasses 
make  it  a  very  paradise  for  cattle.  This  is  at  present 
the  ranch  country.  Numerous  ranches  have  been 
started  in  the  southern  half  of  Alberta,  both  for  horses 
and  neat  cattle,  which  have  already  been  developed 
into  great  importance.  Experience  has  proved  that 
with  good  management  the  cattle  thrive  well  in  the 
winter,  the  percentage  of  loss  being  much  less  than 
was  estimated  when  the  ranches  were  undertaken. 
There  is  in  these  enterprises  the  commencement  of 
great  industries,  and  they  are  now  sending  cattle  to  the 
eastern  markets,  and  to  those  of  Europe,  by  the  ten 
thousand  head.  Sheep  thrive  exceptionally  well  in 
this  district,  as  they  do,  in  fact,  all  over  the  northwest. 

The  census  returns  of  189 1  showed  that  horses  over 
three  year;  old  numbered  20,704;  colts  and  fillies,  11,- 
266;  milk  cows,  10,785;  other  horned  cattle,  134,064; 
sheep,  i6,05> ;  and  swine,  5,103.  In  the  three  provis- 
ional districts  of  Alberta,  Assiniboia  and' Saskatchewan 


Ii8 


THE  GOLDEN  NORTH. 


: 


• 


the  increase  of  live  stock  in  1891  was  220,400  over 
1885.  It  is  not  only  in  agricultural  resources  that  the 
district  of  Alberta  is  rich.  There  are  in  it  the  greatest 
extent  of  coal  fields  known  in  the  world.  The  Rocky 
Mountains  and  their  foothills  contain  a  world  of  miner- 
als yet  to  be  explored,  comprising  iron,  gold,  silver, 
galena,  and  copper.  Large  petroleum  deposits  are 
known  to  exist.  Immense  supplies  of  timber  may  also 
be  mentioned  among  the  riches  of  Alberta,  and  these 
ar^  found  in  such  positions  as  to  be  easily  workable  in 
the  valleys  of  the  numerous  streams  flowing  through 
the  foothills  of  the  Rocky  Mountains  into  the  great 
Saskatchewan. 

The  climate  of  Alberta  has  features  peculiarly  its 
own.  In  winter  it  is  liable  to  remarkable  alterations. 
When  the  wind  blows  from  the  Pacific  Ocean,  and  this 
is  the  prevailing  wind,  the  weather  becomes  mild  and 
the  snow  rapidly  disappears.  When,  however,  it 
blows  from  the  north  over  the  plains,  the  weather  be- 
comes very  cold,  the  thermometer  sometimes  going 
down  to  30  degrees  below  zero.  In  summer  there 
is  liability  to  frosts,  but  they  are  generally  local,  and 
do  not  discourage  the  settlers.  Calgary,  the  chief  town 
in  Alberta,  is  advancing  with  very  rapid  strides.  Many 
substantial  and  really  fine  buildings  have  been  and  are 
being  erected.  It  is  beautifully  situated  at  the  con- 
fluence of  the  Bow  and  Elbow  rivers.  It  is  very  thriv- 
ing, does  a  large  business,  and  commands  a  beautiful 
view  of  the  Rocky  Mountains.  The  other  towns  are 
Lethbridge,  connected  by  railway  with  the  Canadian 
Pacific  line,  where  coal  mines  are  being  worked ;  Mac- 
leod,  a  ranching  center;  Banff,  in  the  recently  formed 
National  Park,  near  which  anthracite  coal  is  being 
mined,  and  where  the  famous  sulphur  springs  are 
found ;  and  Edmonton,  which  is  the  center  of  the  oldest 
settlement  in  the  district. 

I'he  District  of  Athabaska  comprises  an  area  of 
105,000  square  miles,  and  is  bounded  on  the  south  by 
the  district  of  Alberta ;  on  the  east  by  the  line  between 


CANADIAN  NORTHWEST. 


1x9 


the  loth  and  nth  ranges — west  of  the  4th  meridian — 
of  the  Dominion  lands  system  of  survey,  until,  in  pro- 
ceeding northwards,  that  line  intersects  the  Athabasca 
River;  then  by  that  river  and  Ath;  asca  Lake  and 
Slave  River  to  the  intersection  of  this  line  by  the  north- 
ern boundary  of  the  district,  which  is  to  be  the  thirty- 
second  correction  line  of  the  Dominion  lands  township 
system,  and  is  very  near  the  sixtieth  parallel  of  north 
latitude;  and  on  the  west  by  the  province  of  British 
Columbia. 

This  district  also  has  vast  resources,  but,  being  yet, 
from  its  northern  position,  out  of  the  range  of  im- 
mediate settlement,  its  riches  in  agricultural  and 
stock-raising  capabilities,  and  its  excellent  climate  are 
known  only  to  explorers  and  surveyors. 

But  even  to  the  north  of  this  provisional  district,  in 
the  broad  Peace  River  Valley,  and  alluvial  plains  of 
the  upper  Mackenzie,  is  a  still  greater  country  in  ex- 
tent and  resources. 

Two  new  provisional  districts  or  territories  have  re- 
cently been  erected  in  the  far  northwest  by  the  Ca- 
nadian government.  The  first  is  that  called  Mackenzie, 
lying  to  the  north  of  Athabasca,  and  extending  west- 
ward to  the  summit  of  the  Rockies.  The  second  is 
called  Yukon,  and  extends  westward  from  the  sum- 
mit of  the  Rockies  to  the  141st  degree  of  longitude, 
and  northward  from  the  northern  boundary  of  British 
Columbia. 


iiiHi 


I20 


THE  GOLDEN  NORTH. 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 


RESOURCES  OF  BRITISH  COLUMBIA. 

Excellent  climate — Abundance  of  coal— Gold  in  inexhaust- 
ible quantities— Iron,  copper,  galena,  mercury,  plati- 
num, plnmbago,  mica,  salt  and  many  other  valuable 
deposits — Progress  of  the  mines. 

And  now  a  few  words  as  to  British  Columbia.  This 
province  extends  about  700  miles  from  south  to  north 
and  nearly  500  from  west  to  east — an  area  of  more 
than  350,000  square  miles.  It  is  separated  from  the 
rest  of  Canada  by  the  Rocky  Mountains,  while  the 
Pacific  Ocean  bounds  it  on  the  west,  except  for  learly 
300  miles  on  the  extreme  north,  where  the  Alaskan 
possessions  of  the  United  States  interpose  between  it 
and  the  sea.  The  southern  limit  is  the  forty-ninth  par- 
allel, which  forms  the  international  boundarv  between 
the  province  and  the  United  States.  The  northern 
boundary  is  the  sixtieth  parallel.  Vancouver  Island  is 
separated  from  the  state  of  Washington  by  the  Strait 
of  San  Juan  de  Fuca.  It  is  oblong  in  shape,  extending 
northwesterly  parallel  with  the  mainland,  from  which 
it  is  divided  by  the  Strait  of  the  Gulf  of  Georgia,  a 
distance  of  300  miles,  with  a  varying  width  of  from 
twenty  to  sixty  miles. 

The  climate  varies  considerably,  as  the  province  is 
naturally  divided  into  two  sections,  insular  and  conti- 
nental. It  is  much  more  moderate  and  equable  than 
that  of  any  other,  province  of  the  Dominion.  In  the 
southeastern  portion  of  the  mainland,  and  particularly 
on  the  southeastern  part  of  Vancouver  Island,  the 
climate  is  much  superior  to  that  of  southern  England 
or  central  France.  In  this  section  of  th  prov- 
ince snow  seldom  falls,  and  then  lies  but  a 
few    hours    or    days.      Vegetation    remains    green 


RESOURCES  OF  BRITISH  COLUMBIA. 


121 


e  IS 
nti- 
han 

the 
arly 

the 
and 
rov- 
a 

een 


and  the  flowers  are  bright  through  the  greater 
part  of  nearly  every  winter;  while  in  spring  and 
summer  disagreeable  east  winds,  excessively  heavy 
rains  and  long-continued  fogs  are  unknown.  Gener- 
ally speaking,  spring  commences  in  February  in  all 
parts  of  the  province  west  of  the  Cascade  Mountains. 
East  of  these  mountains  the  winters  are  short,  but 
sharp,  continuing  from  six  to  ten  or  twelve  weeks,  with 
a  temperature  down  sometimes  as  low  as  twenty  or 
even  thirty  degrees  below  zero.  Summers  in  this  re- 
gion are  correspondingly  warm.  In  the  northern  por- 
tions of  the  province  the  cold  of  winter  is  severe;  but 
everywhere  the  climate  is  salubrious  and  healthy.  In 
proportion  to  the  area  of  the  province,  the  extent  of 
land  suitable  for  agricultural  purposes  is  small ;  but  in 
the  aggregate  there  are  many  thousands  of    square 

1^  Ijfc  miles  of  arable  soil,  so  diverse  in  character,  location 
and  climatic  conditions  as  to  be  suited  to  the  produc- 
tion of  every  fruit,  cereal,  vegetable,  plant  and  flower 
known  to  the  temperate  zone.  Vest  of  the  Cascade 
Mountains  spring  and  early  suiiimer  rains  are  quite 

fj  I  sufficient  to  bring  crops  to  maturity;  but  further  east, 
in  the  great  stock-raising  interior,  irrigation  is  gener 
ally  required  for  mixed  farming  purposes.  In  this 
part  of  the  province  there  are  immense  areas  of  open 
bunch  grass  country  admirably  adapted  to  grazing; 
while  the  coast  of  the  mainland  and  Vancouver  Island 
are  much  better  suited  to  mixed  farming.  Unoccupied 
land  in  these  sections  is  all  more  or  less  timbered,  but 
with  a  considerable  acreage  almost  everywhere  that  can 
be  easily  cleared  and  brought  under  cultivation.  Alder 
bottoms  and  small  grassy  swamps  are  to  be  found  in 
nearly  all  the  numerous  valleys;  and  this  is  the  descrip- 
tion of  land  that  settlers  are  looking  after  and  locating 
on. 

In  mineral  resources  British  Columbia  is  by  far  the 
richest  of  all  the  Canadian  provinces.  Coal  is  abund- 
ant, while  gold,  silver,  iron,  copper,  galena,  mercury, 
platinum,  plumbago,  mica,  slate,  salt  and  many  others 


liS^SiteiiriUlU^riMtoiHU 


122 


THE  GOLDEN  NORTH. 


are  widely  distributed.  With  the  exception  of  coal 
nearly  all  the  mining  industries  are  in  their  infancy  and 
awaiting  deveU^pment. 

The  coal  output  from  Vancouver's  Island  during 
1894  was  1,012,953  tons,  which  is  the  second  best  year 
on  record.  It  was  disposed  of  as  follows:  Exported, 
827,642  tons;  home  consumption,  165,776  tons;  leaving 
less  than  two  weeks'  product  on  hand  at  the  end  of 
the  year.  On  Graham  Island,  the  northern  of  the 
Queen  Charlotte  group,  three  beds  of  bituminous  coal 
have  been  discovered,  varying  from  7  1-2  to  16  feet  in 
thickness,  and  of  sunerior  quality;  also,  two  large 
seams  of  anthracite  nave  been  found  near  Yakom 
Lake,  but  neither  have  been  developed.  Near  Crow's 
Neat  Pass  beds  of  excellent  quality  and  immense  thick- 
ness (one  seam  being  thirty  feet)  e.ctend  a  distance  of 
about  thirty  miles.  This  coal  is  manufactured  into 
coke.  At  the  Kootenay  mines,  coke  now  costs  $14 
per  ton,  but  when  the  projected  British  Columbia 
Southern  Railway  is  built  it  is  expected  that  better 
coke,  from  the  Crow's  Nest  collieries,  can  be  supplied 
m  the  Kootenay  mining  district  at  about  one-half  of 
the  present  prices.  The  smelters  at  work  now  in  the 
Kootenay  are  greatly  hampered  on  account  of  the 
high  price  of  coke,  one  at  Pilot  Bay  is  using  thirty 
tons  per  day.  From  this  smelter,  which  only  com- 
menced its  operations  March  9,  1895,  ^he  bullion 
shipped  to  the  United  States,  up  to  the  30th  of  June, 
amounted  to  1,301  tons.  In  the  Cariboo  district  great 
activity  prevails  in  hydraulic  mining.  The  success 
which  attended  the  short  runs  made  by  ihc  companies 
excited  great  interest.  In  June,  1895,  a  "clean  up," 
after  a  run  of  172  hours,  gave  sixty-siV  pounds,  three 
ounces  of  gold,  valued  at  $14,400.  Several  joint 
stock  companies  have  been  formed  to  prosecute  gold 
mining  on  a  large  scale  in  the  Cariboo  district.  In 
West  Kootenay,  near  the  boundary  line,  profitable  in- 
vestments have  been  made.  The  first  cost  and  develop- 
ment work  of  the  "War  Eagle"  mine  amounted   to 


RESOURCES  OF,  BRITISH  COLUMBIA. 


123 


$32,500.  Shipments  of  ore  commenced  January  i, 
1895,  and  up  to  June  i,  1895,  $82,500  were  paid  on 
dividends.  During  June  the  shipments  of  ore  aver- 
aged 420  tons  per  week,  at  an  average  value  of  $37 
per  ton.  The  ore  is  mined  at  a  cost  of  $9.50  per  ton, 
freight  and  smalhr  charges  amount  to  $14  additional 
per  ton.  In  the  Kootenay  district  1,215  mineral  claims 
were  recorded,  797  transfers,  and  962  certificates  of 
work  issued  in  1894.  There  were  ninety-seven  placer 
claims  recorded  in  the  district  of  West  Kootenay  dur- 
ing 1896,  and  there  were  thirty-six  mining  leases  in 
force  in  the  Yale  district  during  1894,  140  mineral 
claims  were  recorded,  seventy-seven  transfers  made, 
and  125  certificates  of  work  issued.  Reports  from  Al- 
bemi  district,  Vancouver  Island,  are  encouraging. 
Assays  of  quartz  found  not  far  from  Albemi  town  site 
gave  from  $103  to  $135  value  of  gold  per  ton,  with 
traces  of  silver.  A  large  number  of  claims  have  re- 
cently been  located  in  that  district.  For  the  year  ended 
June  30,  1895,  forty  mining  and  smelting  companies 
were  incorporated  in  British  Columbia  to  operate  in 
precious  metals,  with  nominal  capital  aggregating 
$24,344,000.  The  total  output  of  gold  in  British  Co- 
lumbia during  1894  is  officially  stated  at  $456,066; 
estimated  yield  of  silver,  $8,500;  with  $784,965  in  gold, 
silver,  copper  and  lead  ore  shipped  from  Nelson  to  the 
United  States,  not  included.  Number  of  miners  em- 
ployed in  1894  is  given  at  1,610.  Rich  deposits  of  iron 
ore  are  found  on  Vancouver  and  the  smaller  islands, 
as  well  as  on  the  coast  and  mainland.  Those  deposits 
are  extensive  and  accessible,  being  situated  mostly  near 
good  harbors,  with  the  necessary  fluxes  for  smelting 
conveniently  at  hand.  Tlie  ore  averages  from  sixty  to 
seventy  per  cent  of  iron.  There  is  an  abundance  of 
timber  for  charcoal,  also  coal  and  limestone  in  the 
vicinity  of  the  various  deposits  of  ore.  Latest  reports 
from  Cariboo  mining  district  state:  "The  Cariboo  Gold 
Fields  Company  are  progressing  very  well  with  their 
work.    A  large  number  of  men  are  employed  on  the 


'-.',A?(' 


mi^ 


m 


124 


THE  GOLDEN  NORTH. 


'! 


mil 


I '.I 


M 


pipe  Hnc  ditch.  Several  hundred  Chinamen  are  at 
work  on  the  big  ditch,  which  will  be  nearly  eleven  miles 
long,  three  feet  deep,  and  seven  feet  wide.  They  have 
already  commenced  the  trestle  work  to  carry  the  pipe 
past  the  town,  v/hich  will  take  about  2,000  feet  of 
trestling.  The  pay  roll  for  whites  alone  is  about  $5,000 
per  month.  The  contract  for  the  ditch  was  let  to  a 
Chinese  firm,  their  tender  being  considerably  lower 
than  any  other.  The  price  is  somewhere  near  $30,000. 
Taken  as  a  whole,  Cariboo  will  turn  out  double  the 
quantity  of  gold  this  year  that  it  did  last." 

The  timber  resources  of  British  Columbia  are  prac- 
tically inexhaustible.  The  immense  value  of  this  in- 
dustry, also  comparatively  new,  is  beginning  .to  inter- 
est eastern  lumbermen  both  in  Canada  and  the  States. 
Large  tracts  of  valuable  timber  lands  have  already 
been  purchased  or  leased  by  eastern  capitalists,  and 
extensive  mills  erected  here  and  there,  while  many 
others  are  to  be  built  in  the  near  future.  The  524,573 
acres  of  forest  lands  leased  to  lumbermen  are  esti- 
mated to  contain  at  least  twenty  million  feet  of  timber 
per  acre. 

Second  to  none  of  the  above  mentioned  resources 
is  that  of  the  fisheries.  The  land-locked  and  quiet 
bays,  inlets,  and  fjords,  together  with  rivers  and  small 
streams,  teem  with  valuable  food  fish  of  almost  every 
variety  known  in  the  north  temperate  zone.  Among 
them  are  salmon  and  cod,  several  species  each ;  halibut, 
sturgeon,  herring,  oulachan  and  many  other  varieties, 
besides  small  fish.  One  of  the  most  delicious  of  deep 
water  fish  is  the  skil,  or  black  cod,  as  it  is  sometimes 
called.  This  is  considered  far  superior  to  the  cod  of 
Newfoundland,  and  has  only  to  be  introduced  into  the 
markets  of  the  world  to  create  an  almist  unlimited 
demand. 


^1 


i 


w«p»»»^ 


COUNTRY  OF  THE  SKEENA. 


CHAPTER  XIX. 


COUNTRY  OF  THE  SKEENA. 

Trip  from  Port  Simpson  on  the  Pacific  to  the  sumuiit  of 
Pine  River  Pass— Wonderful  mountain  and  valley  scen- 
ery— ^Resources  of  the  mighty  valleys  in  the  mountain 
slopes. 

Let  us  make  three  distinct  trips  across  the  Rockies, 
first  from  the  Pacific  Ocean,  at  Port  Simpson,  east- 
ward by  way  of  the  Skeena,  the  Pine  River  Pass,  and^ 
thence  down  the  Pine  to  Peace  River  and  to  Lake 
Athabasca;  second,  up  the  Lewis,  from  its  junction 
with  the  Pelly  to  form  the  Yukon,  in  the  Klondike 
region,  to  its  head  waters  in  the  Rockies,  thence  across 
the  low  range  of  mountains  at  this  point,  to  the  head- 
waters of  the  Peace  River,  and  down  that  stream  to 
Lake  Athabasca;  and  third,  up  the  Pelly  River,  from 
the  san^e  point  of  departure,  to  Dease  Lake,  thence 
across  the  watershed  by  a  chain  of  lakes,  to  the  head- 
waters of  the  Liavd  River,  and  down  the  Liaid  to  the 
Mackenzie.  The.  latter  will  include  a  description  of 
the  wonderful  Pdly  River  basin. 

These  journeys  on  the  printed  page  will  familiarize 
the  reader  with  the  best  routes  by  which  to  reach  the 
Klondike,  and  the  entire  gold  regions  of  the  far  north- 
west, as  well  aft  with  the  districts  in  which  future  great 
gold  discoveries  are  sure  to  be  made. 

And  now  as  to  the  first  route — from  Port  Simpson 
via  the  Pine  Rivev  Pass  to  Lake  Athabasca,  and  thence 
to  the  west  shore  of  Hudson's  Bay.  This  will  carry  us 
through  a  country  unsurpassed  in  the  beauty  of  its 
natural  jcenery,  the  value  of  its  resources  and  its  les- 
sons i«  possible  transcontinental  communication. 

The  coast  of  Northern  British  Columbia,  from 
which  we  are  to  select  our  starting  point  for  this  jour- 


f  3 . 

mi 


126 


THE  GOLDEN  NORTH. 


ney,  dipsected  as  it  is  with  inlets,  has  by  no  means  an 
abundance  of  good  harbors.  The  inlets  are,  however, 
for  Ihe  most  part,  deep,  with  bold,  rocky  shores,  and 
trriVersed  by  strong  tidal  current;^.  The  heads  almost 
always  recci.e  rivers,  each  of  which  has  formed  shoal 
banks  about  its  mouth,  owing  to  which  shallowness  o^ 
the  water  they  are  unsafe  anchorages.  Take,  for  in- 
stance, the  mouth  and  estuary  of  the  Skeena.  It  is 
shallow  and  encumbered  with  bars  and  banks,  and  is 
unsuited  for  a  harbor. 

Not  far  to  the  north,  however,  and  easily  accessible 
from  the  valley  of  the  Skeena,  lies  Port  Simpson,  one 
of  the  safest  anchorages  on  the  Pacific  coast,  and  one 
of  the  finest  harbors  in  the  world.  It  is  over  three  miles 
in  length,  with  an  average  breadth  of  over  one  mile, 
is  well  sheltered,  and  very  easy  of  access.  Moreover, 
it  lies  at  the  eastern  end  of  Dixon's  Entrance,  through 
which  vessels  lying  in  that  port  have  direct  connection 
with  the  Pacific  Ocean  between  Cap*.  Knox,  the  north- 
ern extremity  of  the  Queen  Charlotte  Islands,  and 
Cape  Muzon,  the  southwestern  extremty  of  Prince  of 
Wales  Island.  Passing  out  of  Port  Simpson,  through 
Chatham  Sound,  the  Dundas  Islands  are  on  the  left 
and  Fort  Tongus  on  the  right.  There  are  no  obstruc- 
tions of  any  kind  to  interfere  with  navigation. 

The  physical  features  of  the  coast  in  this  neighbor- 
hood are  full  of  interest.  Professor  Dawson,  who 
h^s  made  a  geological  examination  of  this  section, 
sB&ys:  "The  Coast  or  Cascade  Range  of  British  Colum- 
bia is  that  forming  the  high  western  border  of  the 
continent,  but  beyond  it  lies  another  half-submerged 
range,  which  appears  in  Vancouver  and  the  Queen 
Charlotte  Islands,  and  is  represented  in  the  south  by 
the  Olympian  Mountains  of  Washington  Territory, 
and  northward  by  the  large  islands  of  the  coast  archi- 
pelago of  Alaska.  In  this  outer  range  there  are  three 
remarkable  gaps,  the  most  southern  occupied  by  the 
Strait  of  Fuca,  the  central  being  the  wide  opening 
between  Vancouver  and  the  Queen  Charlotte  Islands, 


■PP" 


mm 


''\^. 


♦*;- 


COUNTRY  OF  THE  SKEENA. 


127 


and  the  northern,  Dixon's  entrance.  To  the  south  of 
these,  the  lower  part  of  the  valley  of  the  Columbia  ap- 
pears to  occupy  a  similar  depression,  through  which, 
and  by  Puget  Sound,  a  moderate  subsidence  of  the 
land  would  enable  the  sea  to  flow,  forming  of  the 
Olympian  Mountain  region  an  additional  large  island. 
Whatever  the  ultimate  origin  of  the  gaps  holding  the 
Strait  of  Fuca  and  Dixon's  entrance,  they  are  features 
of  grea'.  structural  importance,  and  are  continued  east- 
ward in  both  cases  by  depressions  more  or  less  marked 
in  the  coast  range  proper." 

These  observations  are  bori.e  out  by  the  fact  that 
,  Fraser  River,  carrying  the  grc?ter  part  of  the  drainage 
t  between  the  coast  range  and  the  Rockies,  after  flowing 
southward  for  several  hundred  miles,  reaches  the  sea 
opposite  the  end  of  the  Strait  of  Fuca ;  while  the  Skeena, 
the  river  we  shall  ascend,  whose  tributaries  interlock 
y/ith  those  of  the  Fraser,  and  derive  their  watefs  from 
the  same  plateau,  falls  into  the  Pacific  near  the  head 
of  Dixon's  Entrance.  We  have  but  little  to  do  \/ith 
the  Fraser,  however,  as  our  route  leads  us  to  its  head 
waters  only.  The  Skeena,  to  which  we  desire  to  direct 
attention  more  especially,  falls  into  the  ocean  near  the 
head  of  Dixon's  Inlet,  not  far  south  of  Port  Simpson. 
The  tnbutaries  of  this  st-eam  interlock  with  those  of 
the  T  itivir.  It  is  a  wonderful  volume  of  water,  not  so 
tnt^  Ls  i0f  Its  greatness  as  for  the  beauty  of  its  scenery 
H!  1  *'''  >  lagnificent  valley  through  which  it  flows. 
Anotn  r  luige  river,  the  Nasse,  flows  into  the  Pacific 
north  oi  Uu?  Skeena,  drawing  its  waters  frcm  the  far 
north. 

The  country  in  the  immediate  neighborhood  of  Port 
Simpson  is  not  of  great  agn cultural  value.  There  are 
patches  of  good  soil ;  but  for  the  most  part  the  covering 
of  soil  is  nearly  everywhere  scanty.  There  is,  how- 
e  *•,  an  abundance  of  good  timber,  except  on  the 
J  >>  ?Hain  sides,  which  are  nearly  all  too  steep  for  vege- 
tal 0  *^Hng  to.  This  is  considerably  below  the 
sixtieth  parallel. 


m 


It  ■ 


-Iv-J. 


128 


THE  GOLDEN  NORTH. 


I 


til 


Port  Simpson,  as  you  may  judge,  is  an  old  seat  of 
the  Hudson's  Bay  Company.  The  p<  -t  wears  a  de- 
cidedly military  appearance,  notwithstanding  that  its 
defences  have  long  ago  fallen  into  disuse.  Besides  the 
company's  officers  and  employes,  there  are  quite  a 
number  of  traders  in  the  neighborhood,  as  well  as 
Indians ;  and,  like  almost  all  the  other  important  posts 
of  the  ancient  company,  its  mission  church  is  one  of 
the  most  attractive  features. 

There  is  a  large  colony  of  Indians  about  sixteen 
miles  south  of  Port  Simpson,  called  Metlah-Catlah, 
where  a  station  of  the  C  vrch  Missionary  Society  is 
in  a  flourishing  condition.  1  farther  to  the  south, 

at  the  mouth  of  the  Skeena,  .  third  Indian  establish- 
ment, with  one  or  two  traders.  These,  with  the  ex- 
ception of  canning  establishments,  are  all  the  settle- 
ments between  the  mouth  of  the  Skeena  and  Port 
Simpson. 

The  fisheries  here  are  fast  becoming  important  in- 
dustries. The  salmon  are  of  excellent  quality,  and  are 
very  abundant  in  both  the  Skeena  and  the  Nasse  to 
the  north  of  it.  These  fish  are  chiefly  taken  in  nets  in 
the  estuaries  of  the  rivers,  and  a  large  number  of  In- 
dians and  Chinamen  are  employed  in  connection  with 
the  canning  business.  The  sea  fisheries  of  the  coast 
also  promise  to  afford  a  very  profitable  industry. 

The  climate  of  Port  Simpson  and  neighborhood  is 
not  subject  to  great  extremes  of  temperature.  There 
is  much  rain  at  all  seasons,  and  occasionally,  in  winter- 
heavy  falls  of  snow.  We  have  at  hand  no  meteorolog- 
ical data  with  regard  to  Port  Simpson  proper,  but  have 
what  speaks  volumes  in  support  of  its  excellent  cli- 
mate in  the  records  of  Sitka,  two  and  a  half  degrees 
north  of  that  place.  However,  the  latitude  of  Sitka 
is  but  57.3  N.,  or  only  about  a  degree  north  of  Glasgow 
in  Scotland,  while  Port  Simpson  is  about  54.33  N.  At 
Sitka  the  temperature  observations,  extending  over  a 
period  of  sixty  years,  show  that  the  mean  temperature 
of  spring  is  41.2;  of  summer  54.6;  of  autumn  44.9;  of 


COUNTRY  OF  THE  SKEENA. 


139 


winter  32.5 ;  and  for  the  entire  year,  43.3F.  The  ex- 
tremes of  temperature  for  sixty  years  are  87.8  and — ^4.0. 
However,  the  mercury  has  fallen  below  zero  in  only 
four  years  out  of  the  sixty,  and  has  risen  to  about  80 
degrees  in  but  seven  years  of  that  period.  The  coldest 
month  is  January,  the  warmest  August;  June  is 
slightly  warmer  than  September.  The  mean  of  the 
minima  for  seven  years  of  the  above  period  is  38.6, 
and  that  of  the  maxima  for  seven  years,  48.9,  showing 
a  remarkably  equable  chmate. 

Fogs  do  not  occur  in  the  neighborhood  of  Fort 
*^impson  as  on  the  southern  part  of  the  coast.  In 
proof  of  this  we  may  quote  the  adventurous  La  Pe- 
rouse,  the  mariner  who  subdued  Fort  Prince  of  Wales, 
on  Hudson's  Bay,  in  1782.  He  speaks  of  fogs  in  this 
locality  as  of  rare  occurrence,  and  records  obtained 
subsequently  to  his  fully  justify  his  observations. 
Professor  Dawson,  who  has  made  extended  observa- 
tions around  Port  Simpson,  says  that  the  cause  of  the 
exceptional  mildness  of  the  climate  of  that  district 
is  to  be  found  not  alone  in  the  fact  of  the  proximity  of 
the  sea,  but  in  the  abnormal  warmth  of  the  water  due 
to  the  Kuro-Siwo  or  Japanese  Current.  The  average 
temperature  of  the  surface  of  the  sea,  during  the  sum- 
mer months,  in  the  vicinity  of  the  Queen  Charlotte 
Islands,  as  deduced  from  a  number  of  observations  in 
1878,  is  53.8.  Between  Victoria  and  Milbanke  Sound, 
by  the  inner  channels,  from  May  28th  to  June  9th,  the 
average  temperature  of  the  sea  surface  was  54.1.  In 
the  inner  channels  between  Port  Simpson  and  Mil- 
banke Sound,  between  August  29th  and  September 
I2th,  54.5;  and  from  the  last  mentioned  date  to  October 
i8th,  about  the  north  end  of  Vancouver  Island,  and 
thence  to  Victoria  by  the  inner  channels,  50.7.  Ob- 
servations by  the  United  States  Coast  Survey  in  the 
latter  part  of  July  and  early  in  August,  1867,  gave  a 
mean  temperature  of  52.1,  for  the  surface  of  the  sea 
between  Victoria  and  Port  Simpson,  and  outside  of 
the  Prince  of  Wales  archipeJago,  from  Port  Simpson 


11 

m 


f 


130 


THE  GOLDEN  NORTH. 


i] 


to  Sitka.  In  the  narrower  inlets  of  the  coasts  the 
temperature  of  the  sea  falls,  owing  to  the  quantity  of 
cold  water  mingled  with  it  by  the  entering  of  the 
rivers. 

Our  journey  is  from  Port  Simpson  to  Churchill. 
We  travel  first  to  the  mouth  of  the  Skeena,  where  is 
situated  the  village  of  Port  Essington,  or  Spuksute,  a 
native  hamlet.  The  surface  of  the  country  here  is  low, 
level  and  swampy,  and  rough  with  stumps  and  logs, 
the  remains  of  an  originally  dense  forest  growth.  Be- 
hind the  little  fiat  on  which  the  village  stands  is  a 
ridge,  rising  in  one  place  to  a  remarkable  peak. 

As  we  are  going  over  this  route  with  a  view  to  judge 
of  its  practicability  for  railway  location,  we  must  ob- 
serve that,  from  the  Skeena,  Port  Simpson  may  be 
easily  reached  by  the  i^on  horse.  Mr.  Crombie,  C.  E., 
in  his  report  in  1877,  says:  "The  distance  to  Port 
Simpson  (from  the  Skeena)  is  probably  eight  miles 
greater  than  to  a  point  on  the  mainland  opposite  Car- 
dena  Bay;  but  the  obstacles  to  the  construction  of  a 
railway  line  are  not  so  great,  and  tlie  cost  of  building 
it  would  probably  be  less." 

The  mouth  or  entrance  to  the  Skeena  was  first  ex- 
plored by  Mr.  Whidbey,  of  Vancouver's  staff,  in  July, 
1793.  He  appears  to  have  gone  no  further  up  than 
the  mouth  of  the  Ecstall,  and  to  have  been  too  easily 
convinced  that  the  inlet  was  of  no  particular  import- 
ance. To  Vancouver  the  name  of  Port  Essington  is 
due,  and  was  by  him  originally  applied  to  the  whole 
estuary.  It  is  singular  that,  notwithstanding  the  dili- 
gence and  skill  of  Vancouver  in  his  exploration  of 
the  west  coast,  he  passed  the  mouths  of  the  three 
largest  rivers — the  Eraser,  the  Skeena,  and  the  Nasse, 
without  specially  noting  them. 

The  mouth  of  the  river  has  become  pretty  much 
filled  with  debris  brought  down  by  the  current,  so  that 
notwithstanding  the  banks  are  bold,  the  water  is 
shallow.  The  mountains  on  either  side,  as  you  ascend 
the  river,  are  steep,  and  mostly  covered  with  a  dense 


m^m 


ppppppn 


COUNTRY  OF  THE  SKEENA. 


131 


forest.  Their  summits,  though  scarcely  ever  over 
4,000  feet  high,  are  generally  covered  with  snow  until 
early  in  July,  and  at  any  season  large  patches  of  per- 
petual white  will  always  greet  the  beholder.  In  a  few 
cases  wide  areas  of  bushes  and  swampy  meadows  seem 
to  occupy  the  higher  slopes,  but  numerous  large  and 
bare  surfaces  of  sohd  rock  are  visible,  from  which 
f  snowslides  and  landslips  have  removed  whatever  cov- 
ering of  soil  may  have  originally  clung  there.  The 
tide  flows  up  the  Skeena  for  a  distance  of  eighteen  or 
twenty  milcb  bove  Port  Essington.  At  this  point  the 
river  valley  narrows  somewhat,  and  a  mass  of  bare  and 
rocky  mountains  appear  on  the  north  bank,  whose 
slopes  are  exceptionally  steep,  and  end  at  the  river 
bank  in  bluffs  and  cliffs  of  considerable  height.  Be- 
tween the  head  of  tide-water  and  the  mouth  of  Lakelse 
River,  a  distance  of  thirty-six  miles,  the  Skeena  re- 
ceives several  streams  of  some  importance.  The  Volley 
has  an  average  width  in  the  bottom  of  from  i  i-A  to 
2  miles,  the  mountains  bordering  it  everywhere, 
reaching  3,000  to  4,000  feet  at  a  short  distance  from 
the  river.  At  about  half  way  between  the  two  points 
mentioned,  however,  the  height  of  the  mountains  ap- 
pears often  to  exceed  4,000  feet,  and  they  probably 
reach  5,000  feet  on  both  sides  of  the  river,  west  of  the 
Lakelse.  Near  the  Lakelse,  with  a  decreasing  altitude, 
they  assume  more  rounded  forms  and  show  less  bare 
rock,  being  covered  with  trees  nearly  up  to  their  sum- 
mits. The  quantity  of  snow  which  accumulates  on 
the  higher  mountains  is  evidently  very  great. 

Through  the  greater  part  of  the  Skeena  the  dull, 
brownish  water  flows  at  the  rate  of  four  to  six  miles 
an  hour,  sweeping  round  its  many  islands,  and  pouring 
through  the  accumulated  piles  of  drift  logs  with  a 
steady,  rushing  sound.  No  reaches  of  slack  water  oc- 
cur. The  river  is  evidently  quite  shallow,  although 
it  is  navigable  for  steamboats  for  a  distance  of  at  least 
five  miles  above  the  Kitsumgalum,  where  the  Sipkiaw 
Rapidjs  met  with.    Islands  are  exceedingly  numerous, 


132 


THE  GOLDEN  NORTH. 


and  so  divide  the  stream  as  to  cause  it  to  occupy  in 
many  places  a  great  portion  of  the  valley.  Above  the 
rapid  mentioned,  there  are  but  few  islands.  About 
four  miles  above  the  Sipkiaw,  the  Zymoetz  River, 
from  the  southeast,  joins  the  Skeena.  It  is  a  stream 
of  considerable  size.  The  mountains  among  which  it 
rises  are  over  6,000  feet  high. 

About  five  miles  above  the  Zymoetz,  or  seventy- 
seven  from  the  Pacific,  is  Kitsalas  Canyon.  The 
mountains  at  this  point  crowd  closely  on  the  river, 
especially  on  the  north  side,  and  though  the  cliffs  and 
precipices  are  seldom  over  100  feet  in  height,  they 
are  rugged,  and  the  hillsides  above  them  are  steep  and 
rough.  The  channel  of  the  river  is  also  broken  by 
several  small  islands.  At  the  lower  end  of  the  canyon 
the  river  greatly  expands.  In  foaming  torrents,  or 
dashing  eddies  of  the  canyon  are  the  favorite  salmon 
fishing  stations  of  the  Indians.  It  is  difficult  to  ascend 
the  river  through  this  canyon,  but  the  task  may  be 
accomplished  by  skillful  canoe-men,  who  make  two 
short  portages;  the  rapids  may  Ue  descended  safely 
without  portaging. 

There  is  a  small  Indian  settlement  on  the  north  side 
of  the  river  at  the  lower  end  of  the  canyon.  The  huts 
are  mostly  rude,  and  in  front  of  them  are  planted 
strangely  carved  totem-posts,  having  figures  of  birds, 
beasts,  etc.,  at  the  top.  At  the  upper  end  of  the.  canyon 
on  the  south  bank  is  another  small  Indian  settlement 
with  about  a  dozen  huts,  some  in  a  state  of  great 
dilapidation.  This  canyon  is  in  latitude  54,  37,  6  N. 
Not  far  to  the  north  of  the  canyon,  the  mountains  are 
over  6,000  feet  high. 

From  Kitsalas  Canyon  to  Kwatsalix,  a  distance  of 
about  twenty-four  miles,  the  general  course  of  the 
river  is  nearly  north  and  south.  Here  the  highest 
range  of  the  coast  mountains  appears  to  be  crossed; 
but  the  river  has  appropriated  a  natural  valley,  and  not 
cut  through  the  range.  The  river  in  this  part  of  if s 
course  has  several  swift  rapids,  but  when  the  water  is 


^Tf^ 


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'i^^'^iwrnm.' 


COUNTRY  OF  THE  SKEENA. 


133 


not  too  high,  these  are  not  hard  to  overcome.  The 
valley  continues  to  be  about  a  mile  and  a  half  wide — 
in  places  two  miles — between  the  steep  slopes  of  its 
bordering  mountains.  It  winds  considerably,  but 
makes  no  abrupt  turns.  On  either  side  of  the  stream 
there  is  a  flat,  sometimes  more  extensive  on  one  side 
than  on  the  other,  about  thirty  feet  above  the  water, 
well  wooded,  and  containing  a  good  soil.  These 
spaces  are,  in  season,  mostly  covered  with  wild  peas, 
vetches,  and  other  plants,  growing  luxuriantly,  es- 
pecially where  the  timber  has*  been  burned  away. 
Speaking  of  the  scenerj'  along  this  part  of  the  river, 
Professor  Dawson  says:  "From  various  points  a  few 
miles  above  Kitsalas  Canyon,  fine  glimpses  of  the 
higher  peaks  are  obtained,  but  a  better  view,  including 
the  whole  snow-clad  Sierra,  scx-ie  tent-like  peaks  of 
which  surpass  a  height  of  8,000  feet,  is  gained  on  look- 
ing back  on  this  region  from  the  hills  above  the  Forks. 
In  several  places  small  valleys  in  the  upper  parts  of 
the  range  are  filled  with  blue  glacier  ice,  and  one 
glacier,  which  appears  to  be  of  some  size,  is  situated  a 
few  miles  below  Kwatsalix  on  the  right  bank.  The 
semi-circular  valley  containing  this,  surrounded  by 
peaks  estimated  at  7,000  feet  in  height  and  abundantly 
covered  with  snow,  is  probably  the  finest  piece  of 
mountain  scenery  on  the  river.  The  glacier  occupies 
the  bottom  of  a  narrow  V-shaped  valley  and  is  prob- 
ably about  a  quarter  of  a  mile  in  width,  rising  up  be- 
tween the  slopes  like  a  broad  wagon-road.  The  ice 
appears  from  a  distance  to  be  completely  covered  with 
fallen  stones  and  debris,  and  though  the  slope  of  the 
valley  is  considerable,  the  motion  of  the  glacier  must 
be  slow,  as  the  stream  flowing  from  it  was,  at  the  date 
of  our  visit,  nearly  without  earthy  impurity.  The  end 
of  this  glacier  is  about  four  miles  back  from  the  river, 
and  was  estimated  to  be  about  600  feet  above  it." 

Kwatsalix  Canyon  is  a  part  of  the  river  less  than 
half  a  mile  in  length,  where  steep  rocks  and  low  cliffs 
come  down  to  the  water's  edge;  but,  although   the 


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MHM 


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mm 


iHi 


134 


THE  GOLDEN  NORTH. 


water  runs  swiftly,  there  is  scarcely  a  true  rapid,  and 
canoes  may  be  worked  up  it  without  great  difficulty. 
There  are  a  few  Indian  huts  at  Kwatsalix,  but  the 
larger  Indian  village,  Kitwanga,  is  situated  on  the  right 
bank  of  the  river  some  twenty-four  miles  above  it. 
It  consists  of  about  fifteen  or  twenty  huts,  located  on 
a  flat  of  considerable  extent,  and  at  a  height  of  about 
twenty  feet  above  the  river.  A  trail  leads  from  this 
place  across  to  the  Nasse  River,  which  is  three  days' 
journey  to  the  north.  The  huts  are  of  the  usual  style, 
and  the  village  is  marked  by  several  totem-posts 
curiously  carved. 

About  seven  miles  above  Kitwanga  the  mouth  of 
the  Kitseguecla  River  is  met  with,  and  some  of  the 
strongest  rapids  on  the  Skeena  are  situated  near  the 
confluence  with  this  river.  From  a  point  above  this 
to  the  Forks,  the  current  is  less  powerful.  There  is 
a  small  Indian  village  near  the  mouth  of  the  Kit- 
seguecla, consisting  of  about  ten  houses  of  quite  mod- 
ern style.  The  Forks,  or  Hazelton,  is  situated  on  the 
left  bank  of  the  Skeena,  a  short  distance  above  the 
junction  of  the  Watsonkwa.  It  stands  on  an  extensive 
flat  ten  or  fifteen  feet  above  the  river,  and  at  the  base 
of  a  higher  terrace,  which  rises  very  steeply  to  a  height 
of  170  feet.  Two  or  three  traders  live  here,  and  there 
is  an  Indian  village  of  about  half  a  dozen  barn-like 
buildings,  each  accommodating  several  families. 

The  Skeena  country,  or  valley  through  which  we 
have  traveled  so  far,  may  to  some  extent  be  called 
an  agricultural  country.  On  the  lower  part  of  the 
river,  with  the  exceptioft  of  a  few  islands  there  is  no 
good  land.  At  about  twenty-five  miles  below  the 
Forks,  however,  the  higher  terraces  at  the  sides  of  the 
river,  and  a  few  hundred  feet' above  its  level,  exterd  in 
many  places  some  miles  back  from  it.  These  plains 
contain  excellent  soil,  consisting  of  a  sandy  loam  with 
a  considerable  proportion  of  vegetable  matter.  East- 
ward from  the  Forks  the  valleys  and  plateaus  present 
the  same  characteristics,  only  that  the  fertile  areas  are 


COUNTRY  OF  THE  SKEENA. 


»35 


more  extensive.  Most  of  the  rivers  flowing  into  the 
Skeena  have  more  or  less  extensive  valleys  all  well 
suited  to  agriculture. 

The  climate  of  the  Skeena  country,  especially  in  the 
neighborhood  of  the  Forks,  is  similar  to  that  of  Mon- 
treal, except  that  the  winters  are  colder.  Snow  gen- 
erally falls  first  in  October  but  melts  again,  the  winter 
snow  not  coming  until  the  middle  of  December.  The 
winter  is,  in  general,  steadily  cold,  similar  in  all  re- 
spects to  that  of  Winnipeg  except  that  there  is  always 
a  thaw  in  February.  Spring  comes  even  earlier  than 
in  Manitoba.  Grass  begins  to  grow,  and  many  varie- 
ties of  trees  to  bud,  the  first  week  in  April.  Some  little 
cultivation  has  been  carried  on.  Potatoes  are  annual- 
ly grown;  they  are  usually  fit  for  use  by  the  first  of 
July,  and  are  harvested  before  the  end  of  September. 
Wheat  has  been  tried  and  found  to  do  well.  Oats 
do  exceptionally  well,  and  in  1878  two  successive 
crops  ripened  before  the  frosts  came.  The  second  of 
course  was  a  "volunteer  crop."  Squashes,  cucumbers, 
and  other  tender  vegetables  can  be  grown  success- 
fully. Cattle  and  horses  are  wintered  with  ease  in  this 
section;  bat,  as  in  Manitoba,  they  require  to  be  stabled 
and  fed  during  the  winter  months. 

The  Skeena  opens  during  the  last  week  in  April, 
and  ice  forms  over  it  during  the  last  week  in  Decem- 
ber. It  is  generally  highest  in  July,  and  is  lowest  im- 
mediately after  the  ice  goes  out.  Its  vast  volume  of 
water  is  supplied  from  the  melting  snow  on  the  moun- 
tains. The  snow-fall  is  from  five  to  ten  teet  on  the 
lower  Skeena,  but  in  the  neighborhood  of  the  Forks 
it  does  not  exceed  an  average  depth  of  three  feet. 
Above  the  Forks  it  is  less  than  two  feet,  being  less 
throughout  than  in  any  location  for  a  long  distance 
south  of  it.  Upon  the  whole,  the  general  characteris- 
tics of  the  climate  are  much  the  same  as  those  of  Mani-- 
toba. 

The  Watsonkwa  River,  which  joins  the  Skeena  from 
the  south-eastward  at  the  Forks,  has  a  magnificent 


r^^:>^7ir^-s^r^  ♦  r,-f^rfi,''^^m^7^%r%.:  ^  ,*  .^^-^^'^^^^ 


136 


THE  GOLDEN  NORTH. 


valley  throughout  its  entire  length.  It  is  partly  prairie, 
and  produces  a  magnificent  growth  of  grass. 

From  the  Forks  eastward  to  the  summit  of  Pine 
River  Pass,  there  are  many  routes  which  the  traveler 
may  take;  but  it  is  impossible  to  state,  until  further 
exploratory  surveys  are  made,  which  is  most  suitable 
for  a  railway  Hne.  It  is  sufficient  to  say  that  there 
is  a  choice  of  some  three  or  four,  any  of  which  of¥er 
good  facilities  for  railway  construction.  Owing  to  the 
facts  that  the  Skeena  River,  above  the  Forks,  is  very 
rapid,  and  that  the  Babine  River  which  flows  into  it 
is  quite  impassable  in  its  canyons  for  canoes,  and  that 
it  makes  a  long  detour  to  the  north,  we  will  leave  the 
Skeena  at  the  Forks  for  the  north  end  of  Babine 
Lake.  The  distance  is  about  forty  miles  in  a  straight 
line;  by  the  trail  it  is  nearly  fifty,  and  the  direction  is 
almost  due  east. 

The  Skeena  Forks,  or  Kitma,  is  the  site  of  an  T  - 
dian  village  where  about  two  hundred  and  fit^^ 
Tshimsians  reside.  Here  the  waters  of  the  Bulkley 
River,  flowing  from  the  southeast,  mingle  with  those 
of  the  Skeena,  which,  at,  and  abovi;  this  point,  flow 
from  the  north.  The  waters  of  the  Bulkley  come  from 
the  same  series  of  small  lakes  in  which  the  Nechaco 
River  takes  its  rise,  flowing  easterly  to  Fort  George, 
beyond  which  it  is  lost  in  the  Fraser. 

Our  present  route  from  the  Forks  to  the  north  end 
of  Babine  Lake  is  on  a  trail  known  as  the  Old  Indian 
route.  It  was  cut  out  and  improved  by  the  Govern- 
ment of  British  Columbia  a  number  of  years  ago,  so  as 
to  afford  easy  access  to  the  Omenica  mining  district. 
It  is  still  used  to  a  great  extent  by  the  Indians,  who 
make  a  regular  business  of  carrying  goods  and  pro- 
visions across.  After  leaving  the  somewhat  flat  coun- 
try at  the  Forks,  the  trail  passes  over  nearly  level  coun- 
try for  several  miles.  It  is  wooded  with  poplar,  cotton- 
wood  and  birch  mixed  with  evergreen  trees,  and  seems 
to  have  a  good  soil,  and  to  be  well  fitted  for  cultivation. 
Grass,  with  wild  peas  and  vetches,  grow  in  great, 


COUNTRY  OF  THE  SKEENA. 


337 


luxuriance;  and,  traveling  through  this  beautiful  dis- 
trict in  the  spring  or  early  summer  months,  one  will 
find  all  the  thickets  fragrant  with  wild  roses.  A  great 
variety  of  wholesome  berries  abound  beyond  the 
limit  of  description,  and  strawberries,  in  their  season, 
might  be  gathered  by  the  ton.  It  is  indeed  a  wonder- 
ful country. 

Not  far  from  the  Forks  the  trail  reaches  the  gently 
sloping  hill  sides  on  the  right  bank  of  the  Watsonkwa, 
which  it  continues  to  follow  for  seven  or  eight  miles, 
till  a  stream  called  the  Suskwa  is  reached,  just  above 
its  junction  with  the  Watsonkwa.  In  following  the 
hill  sides,  the  valleys  of  several  small  streams  flow- 
ing in  courses  of  greater  or  less  depth,  are  crossed. 
The  valley  of  the  main  stream,  from  the  bases  of  the 
mountains  to  the  river  side  is  wide;  but  the  immediate 
valley  of  the  river  is  steep-sided,  and  its  waters  flow 
onward  with  great  force  between  rocky  banks.  The 
Indians  in  this  part  of  the  country  const  ct  bridges 
across  such  streams  as  are  too  rapid  to  be  crossed  in 
canoes  with  safety,  when  they  are  not  too  wide  for  the 
means  at  disposal.  These  have  been  called  suspension 
bridges,  and  are  ingenious  in  plan. 

About  six  miles  from  its  mouth  the  Suskwa  is  joined 
by  the  Skil-o-kis,  from  the  north,  a  very  rapid  stream, 
fifty-seven  feet  wide  and  two  feet  deep.  This  is  crossed 
by  a  newly  constructed  Indian  bridge  like  those 
previously  mentioned.  Five  miles  further  on,  in  a 
general  eastward  direction,  the  main  valley  of  the 
Suskwa  turns  to  the  south  southeast,  while  the  trail 
continues  eastward  by  that  of  a  large  tributary.  The 
sources  of  this  stream,  known  as  the  Oo-at^-anli,  are 
reached  in  about  fourteen  miles,  and  the  summit  is 
passed  at  a  distance  of  seven  miles  from  the  north 
end  of  Babine  Lake. 

The  summit  of  the  range  separating  the  valleys  of 

the  Watsonkwa  and  Skeena  from  the  basin  of  Babine 

Lake  is  passed  in  a  low  altitude  where  mountain  sheep 

and  mountain  goats  are  to  be  seen  in  considerable 
10 


|jggf^jj^|^igal^£«^^ 


■HiiiittiiHiiliiliii 


Pf: 


Iftt 


138 


THE  GOLDEN  NORTH. 


numbers.  From  this  summit,  looking  eastward,  Ba- 
bine  Lake  is  «een  stretching  far  to  the  southeastward 
like  a  silver  ribbon,  its  banks  generally  low,  with  flats 
or  rounded  hills  of  moderate  elevation  bordering  them. 
Before  reaching  t.  e  lake  the  trail  crosses  a  small 
stream  called  the  Tzes-a-tza-kwa,  or  canoe-making 
river.  It  is  about  fift>  feet  wide  by  o.,ie  foot  deep  at 
low  water. 

The  group  of  lakes,  ^liys  Prof,  Dawson,  of  which 
Cabine  is  one,  may  be  regarded  as  occupying  two 
parallel  valleys,  which  conform  to  the  general  north- 
westerly and  southeasterly  bearing  a  which  govern  the 
main  features  of  the  whole  country  lying  between  the 
Rocky  Mountains  proper  and  the  coast.  Babine  Lake 
for  the  greater  part  of  its  length,  lies  nearly  parallel  to 
the  Watsonkwa  Valley,  but  at  its  southern  end  bends 
abruptly  eastward,  a  wide  valley  running  through  from 
its  extremity  to  the  hea'  of  Stewart  Lake.  The  water- 
shed between  the  Skeena  and  }'  raser  River  systems  is 
situated  in  this  valley: — Babtne  Lake  discha  ging 
northward  by  the  Babine  River,  which,  after  follow- 
ing the  general  direction  o*  the  valley  occupied  by  the 
lake  for  some  distance,  cuts  across  the  line  of  the  Ba- 
bine Mou  itains  and  reaches  the  Skeena;  Stewart  Lake 
discharging  by  the  Stewart  River  into  the  Nechaco, 
and  thence  to  the  Fraser.  Tlie  valley  of  Stewart  Lake 
opens  widely  at  the  southeastern  extremity  of  the  low 
country  of  Nechaco  and  Chilacco.  Stewart  Lake  oc- 
cupies the  soiithcastern  part  of  the  second  or  north- 
eastern of  the  great  valleys  above  referred  to ;  and  to 
the  northwest  of  it,  in  the  same  line,  lie  Trembleur, 
Tacla,  and  Bear  lakes.  Stewart  Lake  is  about  forty 
miles  in  extreme  length,  Tacla  forty-six  miles,  and 
Bear  Lake  about  twelve  miles;  the  dimensions  of 
Trembleur  and  Traverse  or  Cross  Lake  are  not  known. 
Trembleur  and  Tacla  lakes  discharge  southeastward 
into  Stewart  Lak«,  while  Bear  Lake  forms  the  source 
of  the  Skeena.  With  the  increasingly  mountainous 
character  of  the  country  to  the  north  the  height  of 


COUNTRY  OF  THE  SKEENA. 


139 


water  surface  in  the  lakes  increases,  being  approxi- 
mately as  follows  Stewart  Lake,  2,200,  Tacla  Lake 
2,271,  Bear  Lake  2,604. 

The  route  from  Fort  Babine,  on  the  northern  por- 
tion of  Lake  Babine  to  Fort  St.  James,  at  the  southern 
extremity  of  Stewart  Lake,  is  by  the  lakes  above  de- 
scribed. It  is  a  six  days'  journey  with  a  pack  train 
from  Fort  St.  James  to  Fort  McLeod,  on  the  north 
end  of  McLeod  Lake,  which  is  in  latitude  55  north,  or 
the  same  as  Fort  Babine.  From  Fort  McLeod  to  the 
summit  of  Pine  River  Pass  the  distance  is  short,  and 
the  direction  northeasterly.  From  Stewart  Lake  to 
McLeod  Lake  the  region,  as  a  whole,  is  flat,  and 
characterized  rather  by  low  ridges  and  terraces  than 
by  hills.  Its  eastern  part  drains  towards  Stewart  Lake, 
but  the  greatest  area  is  drained  by  Salmon  River  and 
its  tributaries,  which,  flowing  southward,  join  the 
Fraser  near  Fort  George.  East  of  the  Salmon  River 
lies  the  Pacific  and  Arctic  watershed,  beyond  which 
the  Lon.;  Lake  River,  a  small  stream,  is  found  flowing 
toward  McLeod's  Lake.  On  leaving  Stewart  Lake 
the  ground  rises  gradually  till  a  height  of  400  feet 
is  gained  at  eight  or  nine  miles  from  the  lake.  I'he 
surface  is  generally  undulating,  has  been  frequently 
burned  over,  and  shows  fine  grassy  meadows,  suitable 
for  cultivation.  From  this  place  to  the  crossing  of 
Salmon  River  the  country  consists  of  undulating  up- 
lands, the  highest  point  of  which  is  about  700  feet 
above  Stewart  Lake. 

vV<j  may  travel  from  the  Hudson's  Bay  ^jost.  Fort 
McLeod.  at  the  northern  end  of  McLc'  d  Lake,  to 
the  summit  of  the  Pine  River  Pass,  by  way  of  tne 
Misinchinca  River.  The  Pack  River,  issuing  from 
McLeod  Lake^  is  about  two  hundred  feet  wide,  and 
has  an  average  depth  of  about  tv^'o  feet  in  July.  It 
flows  northward  about  fifteen  miles  to  its  junction 
with  the  Parsnip  River,  which  joins  it  from  the  south- 
east. At  the  mouth  of  the  Misinchinca,  the  Parsnip, 
according  to  comparative  barometer  readings,  is  2,170 


:lSil 


III 


THE  GOLDEN  NORTH. 


feet  above  the  sea.  It  has  a  width  of  five  hundred  feet, 
and  is  generally  quite  deep.  The  current  is  rapid,  av- 
eraging probably  three  or  four  miles  an  hour,  the 
waters  being  brownish  and  muddy,  and  evidently  in 
great  part  derived  from  melting  snow. 

But  we  are  nearing  the  Pine  River  Pass.  The  val- 
ley which  is  occupied  by  the  lower  part  of  the  Misin- 
chinca  may  be  said  to  come  to  an  end  at  the  mouth  of 
the  Atunp.tche,  inosculating  with  a  second,  which  runs 
in  a  north  northwest  by  south  southeast  course  parallel 
to  the  main  direction  of  flexure  and  elevation  in  this 
part  of  the  Rocky  Mountains.  In  the  opposite  direc- 
tion this  depression  becomes  the  Atunatche  Valley,  and 
further  on  that  of  the  upper  part  of  the  Pine  River, 
which,  after  flowing  north  northwestward  for  eleven 
miles,  turns  abruptly  to  the  eastward  and  finds  its  way 
to  the  Peace  River  below  Fort  St.  John.  Here  on  this 
summit,  in  latitude  55,  24,  17,  the  height  is  but  2,440 
feet  above  the  sea,  or,  according  to  all  authorities, 
less  than  2,500  feet. 

From  this  point  we  are  to  descend  to  the  great 
agricultural  plains  of  the  Pine  and  Athabasca  rivers, 
and  the  vast  fertile  regions  of  the  Peace  River  and  its 
tributaries.  We  have  hurriedly  sketched  the  distance 
from  Port  Simpson  on  the  Pacific  to  this  Pass,  in  view 
of  its  fitness  for  the  location  of  a  railway  Hne  to  con- 
nect the  Pacific  Oceai.  .vith  the  Atlantic,  via  Hudson's 
Bay. 

The  land  in  the  Pine  River  Valley  for  fifty  miles 
above  its  junction  with  the  Peace  is  of  excellent  quali- 
ty, and  well  suited  for  agricultural  and  grazing  pur- 
poses. It  should  he  observed  that  this  fertile  strip  of 
land,  lying  nearly  in  the  heart  of  the  Rocky  Mountains, 
is  an  extension  of  the  Beaver  Plains  which  connect 
with  the  great  fertile  belt  itretc*  ing  from  Manitoba 
to  and  beyond  the  Peace  River. 

Finally,  the  following  may  be  noted  as  the  salient 
facts  ascertained  f»-om  this  exploration,  viz:  That  a 
depression  occurs  in  the  Rocky  Mountain  range,  ex- 


■'^m 


1 


iiiil 


ipil 


COUNTRY  OF  THE  SKEEN\. 


141 


tending  from  55.15  to  5545,  north  latitude:  That  a 
pass  exists  in  this  depression  which,  together  with  its 
approaches  from  east  and  west  is,  with  respect  to  rail- 
way construction,  of  a  generally  favorable  character: 
That  the  summit  of  this  pass  is  2440  feet  above  the 
level  of  the  sea,  which  summit,  for  the  sake  of  con- 
venient comparison,  it  may  be  observed,  is  1,293  feet 
lower  than  that  of  the  Yellowhead  Pass.  1,065  feet 
lower  than  the  watersujd  between  the  Fraser  and 
Homathco  rivers;  660  feet  lower  than  the  summit  to 
Dean  Channel;  and,  to  carry  the  comparison  a  little 
farther,  5,802  feet  lower  than  the  highest  point  on 
the  Union  Pacific  Rpilway. 

We  have  now  to  examine  the  country  from  the  Pine 
River  to  Churchill  on  Hudson's  Bay,  and  see  what  its 
advantages  are,  and  to  note  some  of  its  requirements 
from  the  standpoint  of  cheap  transportation.  This  will 
complete  our  observations  of  the  country  to  be 
traversed  by  the  proposed  transcontinental  Short 
Line  from  the  Pacific  Coast  to  Europe,  via  the  Pine 
River  Pass  and  the  Hudson's  Bay  route.  W  will  then 
turn  our  attention  to  the  other  two  before-named 
passes  to  the  north,  which  lead  from  great  plains 
of  the  far  northwest  to  the  Klondike  rt^-  uo. 


Ji 


It  ' 


#'; 


•M  ^ 


142 


THE  GOLDEN  NORTH. 


CHAPTER  XX. 

FROM  THE  ROCKIES  TO  CHURCHILL. 

A  transcontinental  route  from  Atlantic  to  Pacific  through 
Hudson's  Bay  and  Strait— Across  the  rich,  fertile  prai- 
ries, through  the  Pine  River  Pass — Var^t  areas  of  rich 
lands. 

We  have  traveled  in  the  forgoing  chapter  from  the 
Pacific  to  and  through  the  Pine  River  Pars  of  the 
Rockies,  and  we  will  now  complete  the  journey  east- 
ward to  Hudson's  Bay,  and  will  travel  more  than  a 
thousand  miles  through  the  finest  agricultural  country 
in  the  world.  The  descent  from  the  summit  is  gradual 
towards  the  level  plains.  The  great  fertile  valley  or 
lower  plain  with  its  mighty  rivers,  its  extensive,  pure 
lakes  and  innumerable  small  streams,  stretches  away 
eastward  to  Hudson's  Bay,  northward,  to  our  left,  to 
the  head  waters  of  the  Mackenzie,  and  southeastward 
for  more  than  two  tliousand  mile^.  The  prospect  to 
one  descending  from  this  pass  is  inspiring.  The  fer- 
tile area  before  the  traveler  comprises  over  300,000,000 
acres.  Down  tc  our  left  on  the  broad  plains  of  the 
Peace  River  there  is  the  climate  of  the  most  favored 
portions  of  British  Columbia,  with  the  finest  soil  in  the 
world.  There  countless  herds  of  cattle  may  roam  and 
fatten  upon  the  rich  grasses  that  everywhere  abound, 
without  the  shelter  of  barn  or  stable,  and  vithout  be- 
ing exposed  to  the  severity  of  an  ordinary  winter 
climate.  There  all  kinds  of  orchard  and  garden  fruits 
may  be  cultivated  and  grown  in  plenty,  and  the  best 
cereals  of  the  northern  temperate  zone  harvested  in 
yields  unequaled  anywhere. 

Down  before  us  to  the  eastward,  beyond  the  Smoky 
River,  are  spread  out  the  limitless  alluvial  plains  of  the 
Athabaska  and  its  tributaries,  an  expanse  of  ferti  0 


tmmim 


tiwwpn 


iiijUiniirragyi 


W 


FROM  THE  ROCKIES  TO  CHURCHILL. 


143 


te  rritory  that  must  soon  become  thickly  populated  with 
a  prosperous  agriculJ^^ural  community;  while  away  to 
the  southeast,  in  the  country  of  the  North  Saskatche- 
wan, the  heart  of  the  wheat  belt  is  reached. 

Mr.  Sanford  Fleming,  C.  M.  G.,  in  a  paper  read  by 
him  in  1878  before  the  Royal  Colonial  Institute,  Lon- 
don, England,  gives  the  following  description  of  the 
prairie  region.  He  said:  "It  has  been  found  con- 
venient in  describing  the  general  characteristics  of 
Canada  to  divide  it  into  three  great  regions.  Its  lead- 
ing botanical,  geological  and  topographical  features 
suggest  this  division.  One  region,  except  where 
cleared  of  its  timber  by  artificial  means,  is  densely 
wooded,  another  is  wooded  and  mountainous,  the  third 
is  a  vast  lowland  plain  of  prairie  character.  The  moun- 
tain region  is  on  the  western  side;  the  prairie  regions 
in  the  middle;  the  remainder,  which  embraces  the 
settled  Provinces  on  the  St.  Lawrence,  originally  cov- 
ered with  a  growth  of  timber,  may,  for  the  sake  of 
simplicity  of  description,  be  considered  the  woodland 
region. 

"I1ie  prairie  region  of  Canada  lies  in  the  northern 
drainage  basin;  it  may  be  considered  to  extend  from 
south  to  north  more  than  a  thousand  miles,  and  nearly 
the  same  distance  from  east  to  west.  It  is  not  a  treeless 
prairie;  a  considerable  portion  is  thinly  wooded;  yet 
the  whole  is  considered  as  more  or  less  partaking  of  a 
prairie  character.  The  prairie  region,  so  called,  is 
somewhat  triangular  in  form.  One  side  coincides  with 
the  International  Boundary  Line,  and  extends  from 
the  95th  to  the  113th  meridian;  another  side  follows 
the  eastern  slope  of  the  Rocky  Mountains  from  the 
49th  to  about  the  64th  parallel  of  latitude.  The  third 
side,  about  1,500  miles  in  length,  skirts  a  remarkable 
series  of  lakes,  rivalling  in  size  Lakes  Erie  and  Ontario. 
These  great  water-filled  depressions  lie  in  a  generally 
straight  northwesterly  and  southeasterly  direction. 
They  embrace  Great  Slave  Lake,  Lake  Athabaska, 
Lake  Wollaston,  Deer  Lake,  and  Lake  of  the  Woods, 


144 


THE  GOLDEN  NORTH. 


and  they  appear  to  occur  geologically,  on  the  separat- 
ing line,  between  a  broad  band  of  Laurentian  or 
metamorphic  rocks  and  the  softer  Silurian  formations. 
This  great  triangular-shaped  region  is  estimated  to 
measure  about  300,000,000  acres.  Its  base,  running 
along  the  series  of  lakes  mentioned,  will  probably  av- 
erage less  than  1,000  feet  above  the  sea;  and  its  apex, 
near  where  the  International  Boundary  Line  enters 
the  Rocky  Mountains,  will  probably  be  about  4,000 
feet  above  sea  level.  This  region  may  generally  be 
described  as  a  great  plane  sloping  from  its  apex  in  a 
northeastery  direction  downwards  to  its  base,  but  the 
inclination  is  not  uniform  and  unbroken.  Several 
terraces  and  well-defined  escarpments  stretching  across 
the  country  are  met  with  at  intervals.  A  great  propor- 
tion of  the  surface  is  gently  rolling,  and  hills  of  no 
great  height  occur  here  and  there.  The  rivers  of  this 
division  of  the  country  flow  for  a  great  part  of  their 
course  in  deeply-eroded  channels,  frequently  of  con- 
siderable width,  and  as  the  superficial  formations  are 
for  the  most  part  drift  or  soft  rock,  the  channels  which 
have  been  furrowed  out  are  but  little  obstructed  by 
falls  or  steep  rapids.  They  generally  present  a  uni- 
form descent,  and  the  long  stretches  of  some  of  the 
rivers,  although  the  current  be  swift,  are  capable  of 
being  navigated.  A  wide  expanse  of  the  region  to  the 
south  of  the  main  Saskatchewan  is  a  prairie,  without 
trees  or  shrubs  of  any  kind ;  the  treeless  prairie  passes 
by  easy  gradations  into  copse-woodland  with  prairie 
intervening.  To  the  north  of  the  Saskatchewan,  wood- 
land appears  in  various  localities.  On  Peace  River 
there  are  extensive  prairies ;  there  is  also  an  agreeable 
mixture  of  woodland  and  prairie;  and  this  character 
of  country  appears  to  prevail  for  a  considerable  dis- 
tance still  further  north. 

"It  is  scarcely  to  be  supposed  that  a  region  so  ex- 
tensive would  be  found  all  fertile  land.  The  great 
American  desert,  which  covers  a  wide  area  in  the 
center  of  the  United  States,  was  at  one  time  thought  to 


WH""<UJ'' 


'■ji.l«'<i|.Hiiijf«J'« 


FROM  THE  ROCKIES  TO  CHURCHILL. 


145 


extend  north  for  a  considerable  distance  into  Canada. 
The  Boundary  Commission's  reports,  however,  ap- 
pear to  show  that  the  arid  and  unproductive  tract  is 
more  limited  on  the  Canadian  side  than  was  previous- 
ly supposed;  and  that  a  great  breadth  of  the  country 
previously  considered  valueless  may  be  used  for  pas- 
toral purposes,  and  some  ot  it  ultimately  brought  under 
cultivation.  There  are  other  places  within  the  terri- 
tory described  as  the  prairie  region,  which  are  favor- 
able for  farming  pursuits ;  and  although  certain  draw- 
backs claim  recognition,  there  can  no  lo'  ;er  be  any 
doubt  respecting  the  salubrity  of  the  clin  ate  and  the 
existence  of  vast  plains  of  rare  fertility.  Information 
on  this  head  has  been  obtamed  year  by  year.  Professor 
Macoun,  a  well  knovvn  botanist,  has  recently  been 
commissioned  specially  to  investigate  this  subject.  He 
estimates  that  there  are  no  less  than  260,000,000  acres 
of  land  available  in  this  region  alone  for  farming  and 
grazing  purposes. 

"The  mineral  riches  of  this  great  division  of  Canada 
are  but  imperfectly  known.  It  has,  however,  been  es- 
tablished thai  immense  deposits  of  coal  exist  in  many 
parts,  chiefly  along  the  western  side.  The  examina- 
tions of  Mr.  Selwyn,  D'-'^ctor  of  the  Geological  Sur- 
vey, carry  the  impress.  .  that  the  coal-bearing  rocks 
pass,  with  their  associated  coal  seams,  and  iron  ores, 
beneath  the  clays  farthest  east,  and  it  may  be  that 
shafts  would  reveal  workable  seams  of  coal  at  such 
limited  depths  beneath  the  surface  as  w  ^uld  render 
them  available  for  fuel  and  for  industrial  purposes  in 
the  heart  of  the  prairies.  Should  these  views  of  Mr. 
Selwyn  prove  correct,  their  realization  will  be  of  the 
greatest  possible  importance  to  the  country.  Besides 
coal  and  iron  ore,  petroleum,  salt  and  gold  have  also 
been  found.  The  Red  River  settlers,  exposed  to  many 
vicissitudes  during  a  space  of  half  a  century,  did  not 
greatly  prosper.  But  since  the  incorporation  with 
Canada  of  the  whole  country  formerly  under  the  sway 
of  the  Hudson's  Bay  Company,  marvelous  progress 


.■^ 


146 


THE  GOLDEN  NORTH. 


has  been  made.  The  Province  of  Manitoba  has  been 
created  around  the  place  which  was  once  the  Selkirk 
settlement;  its  population  has  increased  from  a  mere 
handful  to  many  thousands,  and  it  has  to  all  appear- 
ance entered  on  a  career  of  unexampled  progress. 

"Manitoba,  although  a  province  with  prospect  so 
brilliant,  occupies  but  a  small  corner  of  the  fertile 
lands  in  the  interior  of  Canada.  The  prairie  region, 
as  set  forth  in  the  foregoing,  is  alone  ten  times  the 
area  of  England,  reckoning  every  description  of  land. 
Such  being  the  case,  it  may  be  no  vain  dream  to 
imagine  that  in  due  time  many  provinces  will  be 
carved  out  of  it,  and  that  many  millions  of  the  human 
family  may  find  happy  and  prosperous  homes  on  these 
rich  alluvial  plains  of  Canada." 

Since  the  above  was  written  by  Mr.  Fleming,  much 
that  he  predicted  has  been  realized.  Extensive  coal 
mines  have  been  opened  in  the  Saskatchewan  Valley 
and  are  proving  of  vast  utility.  Petroleum  has  been 
discovered  in  large  quantities,  and  arrangements  are 
now  being  made  to  bring  it  into  market;  and  the 
agricultural  capabilities  of  the  region  are  proving  to 
be  much  greater  than  the  estimate  then  placed  upon 
them.  The  whole  prairie  region  has  been  divided  into 
five  sections,  viz:  The  Province  of  Manitoba,  extend- 
ing from  the  western  boundary  of  Ontario  westward 
to  the  io2d  meridian,  and  northward  to  the  53d  paral- 
lel; the  District  of  Assiniboia  and  Saskatchewan,  ex- 
tending from  the  western  boundary  of  the  Province  of 
Manitoba  to  the  iiith  meridian,  and  northward  from 
the  International  Boundary  Line  to  the  55th  parallel, 
the  former  comprising  the  south  half  of  the  territory 
described,  and  the  latter  the  north  half;  the  District 
of  Alberta  extending  from  the  western  limits  of  As- 
siniboia and  Saskatchewan  to  the  eastern  limit  of  Brit- 
ish Columbia,  and  northward  from  the  International 
Boundary  to  the  55th  parallel;  the  District  of  Atha- 
baska,  extending  northward  from  the  northern  limits 
of  Alberta  to  the  60th  parallel,  and  eastward  from  the 


n 


FROM  1  HR  ROCKIES  TO  CHURCHILL. 


H7 


eastern  boundary  of  British  Columbia  to  the  iiith 
meridian.  The  last  four  will,  in  due  time,  be  erected 
into  provinces,  with  responsible  governments,  with 
about  their  present  boundaries. 

The  carrying  trade  of  that  commerce  will  find  its 
principal  channel  through  the  waters  of  Hudson's 
Bay;  and  the  proposed  railway  line  we  are  describ- 
ing, from  Port  Simpson  to  Churchill,  will  not  only 
bring  Japan  and  Europe  closer  together  by  thousands 
of  miles  than  by  any  other  possible  route,  but  must  be- 
come the  chief  avenue  of  transportation  for  the  whole 
District  of  Athabaska  and  the  greater  portion  of  Al- 
berta to  the  south  of  it,  as  well  as  for  the  illimitable 
region  to  the  north  and  northwest. 


i 


f 


I4B 


THE  GOLDEN  NORTH. 


CHAPTER  XXI. 


METROPOLIS  OF  THE  KLONDIKE. 

Description  of  the  immediate  Klondike  country — Life  at 
Dawson  City — Boom  in  real  estate — Trading  and  the 
high  prices  of  supplies— Saloons  and  gambling— The 
future  of  Dawson  City. 

But  to  return  to  the  Klondike,  from  which  point,  or 
rather  from  the  junction  of  the  Pelly  and  Lewis  rivers, 
we  are  to  make  two  journeys  up  the  western  slopes  of 
the  Rockies,  across  their  summits,  and  down  to  the 
great  valleys  to  the  eastward.  As  promised,  one  of 
these  will  be  by  the  Lewis,  through  the  pass  between 
Fort  Mumford  and  the  mountains,  bordering  the 
southern  portion  of  Lake  Dease,  thence  to  the  head 
waters  of  the  Peace  River  and  down  that  stream  to 
Lake  Athabasca;  the  other,  and  more  northern,  will 
be  by  the  Pelly  River  to  Lake  Frances,  and  through 
the  pass  between  the  Blue  Mountains  and  the  range 
to  the  southwest  of  Lake  Frances,  to  the  head  waters 
of  the  Liard  River,  thence  down  the  Liard  or  Moun- 
tain River,  to  Fort  Simpson,  where  it  joins  the  mighty 
Mackenzie  in  a  magnificent  prairie  region  less  than 
400  feet  above  the  level  of  the  sea. 

Before  following  these  routes  on  the  printed  page, 
it  will  be  interesting  to  take  a  look  at  Dawson  City, 
the  metropolis  of  the  mining  camps  of  the  far  north- 
west, and  of  the  country  immediately  surrounding  it. 
A  little  above  Dawson  City,  which  is  on  the  north- 
eastern bank  of  the  Yukon,  Klondike  River  is  met, 
flowing  from  the  east  or  a  little  north  of  east.  Thirty 
miles  above  Dawson  City,  for  which  distance  the  Yu- 
kon flows  almost  directly  from  the  south,  Indiar  River 
is  met  with,  flowing  from  the  east.  Between  Klondike 
and  Indian  rivers  there  is  a  net-work  of  creeks  flowing 


S,. 


^^^^^P'-   V  -■      '!"*■"' 


METROPOLIS  OF  THE  KLONDIKE. 


149 


into  the  former  from  the  south,  and  into  the  latter 
from  the  north,  and  into  the  Yukon  from  the  east,  the 
banks  of  all  being  gold-bearing.  An  unexplored  spur 
of  the  Rocky  Mountains  projects  westward  to  the 
head  waters  of  the  Klondike  and  Indian  rivers,  and 
separates  between  them  for  a  considerable  distance. 
It  is  probably  from  this  spur,  in  which  it  is  believed  rich 
quartz  mines  will  be  discovered,  that  the  coarse  gold 
has  been  washed  down  to  the  creeks  and  rivers  of  the 
immediate  Klondike  region.  As  before  noted,  the 
principal  creeks  flowing  into  the  Klondike  from  the 
south  are,  commencing  on  the  east,  Too-Much-Gold 
Creek,  Hunker  Creek,  Soda  Creek,  Last  Chance 
Creek,  Bear  Creek  and  its  branches,  Boulder.  Adams, 
Eldorado  and  French  creeks.  The  principal  streams 
flowing  into  the  Indian  River  to  the  south  are,  com- 
mencing on  the  east.  Dominion  Creek,  No-Name 
Creek  and  Quartz  Creek.  An  equal  number  of  streams 
flow  southward  into  Klondike  River  from  the  north, 
and  northward  into  Indian  River  from  the  south.  On 
the  west  side  of  the  Yukon,  a  number  of  rivers  flow 
from  the  west  into  that  river  which  have  already  been 
enumerated  and  described,  the  principal  of  which  are 
the  Forty  and  Sixty  Mile  rivers. 

This  is  the  Klondike  country  proper,  and  Dawson 
City  is  its  metropolis.  The  place  contains  at  the  pres- 
ent time  a  population  of  about  4,000,  and  during  the 
coming  winter,  when  a  large  number  of  miners  will 
take  shelter  ther<2  to  await  the  warm  weather  of  spring 
to  begin  mining  operations,  it  will  probably  reach  6,000 
<tr  7,000.  It  is  believed  that  before  the  close  of  1898, 
Dawson  City  will  have  a  population  of  20,000.  How- 
ever, as  mining  operations  appear  to  be  moving  higher 
up  the  slopes  to  the  eastward,  there  '*  •>  a  good  prospect 
for  towns  of  considerable  size  being  developed  some- 
where on  the  upper  waters  of  the  Lewis  and  Pelly 
rivers.  But  the  fact  that  Stewart  River,  which  flows 
into  the  Yukon  to  the  west,  contains  a  vast  area  of  pay 
gold,  together  with  the  rich  quartz  mines  which  are 


J    , 


:i! 


150 


THE  GOLDEN  NORTH. 


sure  to  be  developed  in  the  neighborhood  of  Dawson 
City,  point  to  that  place  as  the  greatest  commercial 
center  of  the  gold  regions  west  of  the  Rocky  Moun- 
tains for  a  long  period  to  come.  More  than  this,  it  is 
near  the  head  of  navigation  of  the  Yukon  River  for 
steamers  of  any  considerable  size,  and  is  a  convenient 
point  to  be  reached  by  those  going  into  the  country, 
not  only  by  the  way  of  St.  Michaels  to  the  Yukon,  but 
from  Dyea  and  Skaguay  through  the  mountain  passes 
to  the  north  of  these  places,  and  by  way  of  the  Lewis 
River. 

It  may  be  noted  in  this  connection  that  border  set- 
tlements of  considerable  size  will  no  doubt  grow  up  at 
St.  Michaels,  at  the  mouth  of  the  Yukon,  at  Dyea,  and 
at  Skaguay.  In  the  expectation  that  a  large  number 
of  miners  and  prospectors  will  winter  at  St.  Michaels 
during  the  coming  season,  the  North  American  Trad- 
ing and  Transportation  Company  has  asked  the  gov- 
ernment at  Washington  that  one  of  the  Revenue  Cut- 
ters, now  in  the  Bering  Sea,  be  stationed  at  St.  Mich- 
aels this  winter  instead  of  going  to  Seattle  or  San 
Francisco,  as  usual.  It  is  believed  that  the  presence  of  a 
government  gun  boat,  with  a  crew  well  armed,  would 
have  a  good  effect  in  showing  the  government's  de- 
termination to  preserve  order  and  prevent  robbery  and 
other  forms  of  outlawry  which  might  otherwise  occur 
there.  At  the  time  this  is  being  written,  our  govern- 
ment i?as  not  decided  what  action  will  be  taken  in  this 
respect.  It  is  expected  that  a  considerable  population 
will  be  more  or  less  permanently  'settled  at  St.  Mich- 
aels, for  which  reason  immense  warehouses  are  about 
to  be  built  there;  besides,  it  is  evident  that  a  con- 
siderable trans-shipping  business  will  be  carried  on 
at  that  place.  At  Dyea  and  Skaguay,  both  of  which 
places  ha^ ;e  alreaoy  a  considerable  population,  per- 
manent towns  of  considerable  size  will  no  doubt  grow 
up  in  the  near  future,  and  it  may  be  expected  that  the 
government  which  has  jurisdiction  over  these  places 
will  amply  provide  for  the  enforcement  of  law  and 


■^fgw-wsT 


,1^  gpi.-M.iiV.iww' 


METROPOLIS  OF  THE  KLONDIKE. 


iSi 


order.  Although  access  to  the  Klondike  country 
through  the  passes  to  the  north  of  these  places  is  not 
impossible,  it  is  not  likely  that  these  routes  will  be 
abandoned,  for  their  passes  are  being  improved,  and 
will  no  doubt  continue  to  be  *  raveled,  especially  by  a 
large  proportion  of  those  who  leave  the  Pacific  Coast 
to  go  into  the  north  country  light. 

There  is  another  point  at  which  i  large  border  min- 
ing town  will  no  doubt  start  up  with  good  prospects 
next  summer.  We  refer  to  some  point  on  the  Peace 
River  near  its  head  waters.  Vast  gold  deposits  have 
already  been  discovered  in  this  region,  both  in  north- 
ern British  Columbia,  and  along  the  eastern  slopes  of 
the  Rockies  on  the  banks  of  the  brooks  and  creeks 
which  flow  into  the  upper  Peace  and  Liard  rivers. 

But  to  return  to  Dawson  City,  which  is  a  typical 
mining  town.  It  is  laid  out  in  rectangular  shape  into 
town  lots.  The  streets  are  sixty-six  feet  wide  and  the 
whole  plat  has  been  regularly  entered  with  the  Domin- 
ion government,  by  Joseph  Laduc,  its  proprietor,  as  a 
town  site.  It  is  situated  on  a  stretch  of  low  ground  on 
the  northwest  bank  of  the  Yukon,  a  short  distance  be- 
irw  the  mouth  of  the  Klondike.  During  the  present 
Liimmer  a  vast  majority  of  its  inhabitants  lived  in  tents, 
but  a  great  many  houses  were  built  during  the  season, 
preparatory  to  the  requirements  of  winter.  Some  of 
these  are  quite  substantial  buildings.  It  is  un- 
fortunately true  that  the  best  and  most  commodious 
buildings  in  the  town,  aside  from  the  somewhat  exten- 
sive and  imposing  warehouses  of  the  North  American 
Trading  and  Transportation  Company,  are  occupied 
by  saloons  and  gambling  houses ;  and  these  places,  as 
is  the  case  with  all  mining  centers  of  population,  are 
excessively  patronized.  Town  lots  in  Dawson  City  are 
being  sold  at  a  high  figure,  some  of  them  bringing  as 
much  as  $5,000  each.  Of  course  Dawson  City  is  hav- 
ing a  boom,  and  a  real  estate  boom  at  that.  But  it  is 
having  a  boom  in  trade  also;  for  all  kinds  of  supplies 
and  provisions  that  have  been  taken  into  the  country 


WMUIkiu 


V  ,* 


152 


THE  GOLDEN  NORTH. 


are  hev  g  sold  to  miners  at  alnost  fabulous  prices,  and, 
of  course,  yielding  immense  profits.  So  far  as  the  real 
estate  boom  is  concerned,  it  will  no  doubt  turn  out  like 
that  of  V^innipeg,  Manitoba,  which  continued  at  high 
water  mark  from  iSGo  to  1883,  when  it  collapsed  with 
a  precipitancy  that  stranded  the  entire  population  of 
thsl  city.  But  the  boom  at  Dawson  City  is  on,  and  it 
will  continue  for  two  or  three  years  at  least,  probably 
until  the  town  has  reached  a  population,  during  cer- 
tain seasons  of  the  year,  of  -^5,000.  During  the  pres- 
ent ycaiT  the  lowest  standard  of  value  in  actual  use 
there,  has  been  the  fifty-cent  piece,  or,  in  the  parlance 
of  the  town,  "four  bits."  This  is  the  price  of  the  small- 
est article,  and  takes  the  piace,  in  small  transacti'-»ns, 
of  the  penny  in  our  American  cities.  During  1897  the 
ruling  prices  at  Dawson  City  have  been  about  as  fol- 
lows : 


Flour,  per  100  pounds. .  .$ 

Moose  hams,  per  pound .......... 

Caribou  meat,  per  pound 

Beans,  per  pound 

Rice,  per  potv.id 

Sugar,  per  pound. . 

Bacon,  per  pound 

Butter,  per  roll 

E/^;gs,  per  dozen , 

Better  eggs,,  per  dozen 

Salmon,  each.. i 

Potatoes,  per  pound 

Turnips,  per  poun  .1 .    

Tea,  per  pound r . . 

Coffee,  pj.'  pound 

Lried  fruit^,  per  pound 

Crmned  hv\is,  per  pound . .    ....... 

Canned  meats 

^LemoTir,  each 

Oranges,  each.. : 

Tobacco,  per  pound 


12.00 

T.OO 

.65 

.10 

•25 

.25 

.40 

1.50 

1.50 
2.0G 
1.50 

.25 

I. CO 

.50 


METROPOLIS  OF  THE  KLONDIKE. 


Liquors,  per  drink .50 

Shovels   2.50 

P'cks 500 

Coal  oil,  per  gallon i.oo 

Overalls  1.50 

Underwear,  per  suit S-OO®  7.50 

Shoes 5.00 

Rubber  boots 10.00@15.00 

Lumber  has  been  selling  for  $150  per  thousand  feet, 
rough,  and  $250  dressed.  Wages  for  unskilled  labor 
have  run  from  $10  to  $15  per  day.  This  includes  car- 
peiuering,  for  most  of  the  joiners  that  have  gone  tj 
that  country  up  to  the  present  time  are  called  ''saw 
and  hammer  men."  Those  who  have  been  employed 
in  the  mines  have  received  from  $10  to  $15  a  day,  but 
labor  of  this  kind  has  been  exceedingly  scarce.  Nearly 
every  man  who  has  gone  into  the  country  has  either 
staked  a  claim  for  himself,  or  insisted  upon  working  on 
shares.  There  are  two  or  three  saw-mills  in  the  neigh- 
borhood of  considerable  capacity,  but  that  at  Dawson 
City  is  not  very  large.  However,  three  or  four  more 
will  be  in  running  order  early  next  spring. 

Pawson  City  is  of  course  a  lively  mining  town. 
The  population  which  has  gone  in  there  is  of  an  ex- 
ceedingly heterogeneous  character,  including  a  large 
variety  of  nationalities  and  men  of  nearly  every  phase 
of  human  experience.  Notwithstanding-  this,  up  to 
the  early  fall  of  the  present  year  (1897)  no  serious 
breaches  of  the  peace  have  taken  place.  One  shoot- 
ing event  is  recorded,  but  the  victim  tioon  recovered, 
and  at  last  reports  the  offender  was  in  the  grasp  of 
the  Canadian  Mounted  Police.  This  force  is  at  Daw- 
son City  in  considerable  strength,  and  acting  under 
and  by  virtue  of  Canadian  laws,  exercises  a  most  salu- 
tary influence  upon  the  conduct  of  the  inhabitants. 
At  Dav/son  City  men  are  not  what  they  appear. 
Everywhere  characters  are  hidden  beneath  a  rough  ex- 
terior. One  will  often  meet  with  a  polished  college 
11 


154 


THE  GOLDEM  NORTH 


graduate  tinder  an  exceedingly  rough  garb.  In  Daw- 
son City  one  may  dt  down  and  disctjss  almost  any  sub- 
ject, including  the  widest  range  of  science,  literature 
and  religion,  with  one  having  the  general  appearance 
of  a  highway  trarip,  and  who,  if  casually  met  with  in 
the  state  of  Illinois,  would  be  regarded  as  the  veriest 
hobo.  There  is  nothing  in  the  way  of  what  we  call 
style  in  Dawson  City.  Bar-keepers  do  not  wear  boiled 
shirts,  nor  are  those  who  preside  at  the  piano  or 
manipulate  other  musical  instruments  in  the  coarse 
dance-houses  dressed  in  the  garb  of  dudes. 

Gold  scales  are  found  in  every  trading  place  in  Daw- 
son City,  and  the  greater  proportion  of  local  retail 
traffic  is  carried  on  with  gold  dust  as  a  medium  of  ex- 
change. Dance-halls  may  be  found  in  the  rear  of  al- 
most every  saloon.  There  is  also  an  apartment  con- 
nected with  almost  every  drinking  place  devoted  to 
gambling,  where  the  miner  parts  with  his  money  or 
gold  dust  to  satisfy  his  thirst  for  speculation.  The 
liquors  sold  in  these  drinking  places  are  of  a  vile  char- 
acter, much  of  them  being  compounded  with  drugs 
on  the  spot,  and  containing  very  small  proportions  of 
real  whisky,  gin  or  brandy. 

It  will  not  be  a  lurp-ise  tO'  the  reader  that  a  laiige 
proportion  of  the  irh?  jitants  of  the  mining  towns  are 
addicted  to  drinking  and  gambling.  Those  who  go 
into  such  a  country  are  of  a  venturesome,  speculating 
spirit,  and  the  .time  not  occupied  in  actual  mining 
hangs  heavily  on  their  hands.  Such  restless  spirits 
are  always  sure  to  engage  in  any  excesses  for  which 
there  are  opportunities.  But  cf  course  not  all  those 
who  face  the  hardships  of  that  countr>'  are  addicted 
to  the  liquor  habit  or  the  game  of  chance.  There  arc 
many  vSober,  industrious  people  in  the  Golden  North, 
and  many  more  will  follow  them,  who  devote  their  time 
and  energies  to  delving  in  the  mines  both  winter  and 
summer,  or  to  grappling  with  other  tasks,  and  who 
frequent  neither  the  dance  hall,  the  card  room,  nor 


METROPOLIS  OF  THE  KLONDIKE. 


155 


the  drinking  bar.  These  are  the  men  who  succeed 
best,  and  who  bring  most  gold  out  of  the  country. 

There  are  many  excellent  women  at  Dawson  City, 
notably  Mrs.  Capt.  J.  J.  Healy,  who  has  a  quartz  mine 
known  as  the  Four  Leaf  Clover,  on  the  west  side  of 
the  Yukon  opposite  the  mouth  of  the  Klondike,  which 
promises  to  yield  enormous  riches.  Most  of  the 
women  at  this  towi;  ^  ';  \vith  their  husbands,  whose 
fortunes  they  are  si  aring  bravely.  Some  of  them, 
however,  are  working  in  various  independent  ways  to 
improve  their  own  circumstances.  It  is  notable  that 
several  of  the  most  fortunate  men  now  struggUng  for 
wealth  in  the  gulches  of  the  Klondike  region  are  ac- 
companied by  their  wives.  In  this  connection,  it  is 
noted  with  regret  that  the  Canadian  laws  do  not  recog- 
nize a  married  woman's  property  riglits,  hence  she 
cannot  locate  a  claim  in  ?.ddition  to  that  of  her  hus- 
band; but  she  can  otherwise  aid  and  assist  him  in 
ways  of  incalculable  value.  It  was  observable  in  the 
gold  mining  camp  region,  throughout  the  present 
year,  that  married  men  became  very  desirous  of  hav- 
ing their  wives  join  them,  while  the  unmarried  men 
were  sending  letters  to  their  sweethearts  whom  they 
had  left  behind,  at  considerable  paiifs  and  expense. 

There  is  a  class  of  women  at  Dawson  City,  how- 
ever, who  constitute  the  worst  element  of  the  town. 
Fortunately  the  number  is  not  large.  These  charac- 
ters frequent  the  dance  halls,  and,  as  in  all  the  years  of 
the  past,  follow  the  miners  through  every  danger  and 
hardship.  To  his  great  credit,  Inspector  Constantine, 
who  is  at  the  head  of  the  Mounted  Police  force  at 
Dawson  City,  manages  to  keep  the  disreputable  ele- 
ment under  very  strict  control. 

As  before  stated,  the  currency  of  Dawson  City  is 
for  the  greater  part  gold  dust.  One  entering  a  place 
to  trade,  or  a  saloon  to  drink,  has  a  quantity  of  gold 
dust  weighed  out,  which  he  exchanges  for  chips  of 
various, denominations.    These  chips  he,  in  turn,  ex- 


. 


156 


TITE  GOLDEN  NORTH. 


changes  at  the  place  where  they  were  obtained  for 
whatever  he  chooses  to  purchase. 

Dawson  City  is  a  most  dehghtful  place  during  the 
short  summer  season.  Daylight  is  continuous,  and 
one  fortunate  enough  to  possess  a  book  or  newspaper 
may  read  without  artificial  light  every  hour  out  of  the 
twenty-four.  Of  course  the  mosquito  and  little  black 
fly  keep  up  an  unceasing  annoyance,  but  this  is  really 
the  only  drawback  to  one's  happiness  while  in  the 
town.  The  climate  is  excellent  and  there  are  no  dis- 
eases of  any  sort  arising  from  climatic  conditions.  In 
the  winter  season  it  is  very  cold,  but  with  proper  sup- 
plies one  will  not  suffer  from  the  extremes  of  winter 
temperature.  The  atmosphere  is  exceedingly  dry, 
and  a  person  can  endure  with  much  less  suffering 
twenty  degrees  more  cold  than  in  the  more  humid  dis- 
tricts of  our  own  northwest. 

A  newspaper  is  at  out  to  be  established  at  Dawson 
City,  and  in  a  short  time  the  place  will  be  in  tele- 
graphic communication  with  the  outside  word. 
Steamers  already  arrive  frequently  by  way  of  the  Yu- 
kon during  the  summer  season,  but  the  winters  will  be 
greatly  enlivened  and  improved  when  telegraphic  com- 
municauon  shall  have  been  estabHshed  between  it  and 
the  regions  of  civilization.  At  present  the  only  ex- 
citing news  in  the  town,  aside  Ironi  the  arrival  of 
steamboats,  consists  in  fresh  gold  discoveries.  When 
the  latter  are  authenticated,  they  always  result  in  a 
stampede  for  the  locality  in  which  the  important  finds 
have  been  made,  and  in  the  staking  out  of  new  claims. 
It  may  be  mentioned  in  this  connection  that  during 
1897  the  policy  of  the  miners  in  the  Klondike  region 
has  shewn  too  much  vacillation.  Men  have  gone 
from  one  location  to  another  whenever  reports  indi- 
cated that  there  were  deposits  further  on,  richer  than 
those  which  they  were  working.  In  this  way  many 
good  claims  have  been  abandoned,  which,  in  the  fu- 
ture, will  no  doubt  be  taken  up  by  others  and  success- 
fully worked.    A  part  of  this  constant  chatiging  of 


f 


METROPOLIS  OF  THE  KLONDIKE. 


157 


f 


location  has  been  due  to  the  preference  for  coarse 
gold.  Miners  will  always  forsake  the  work  of  wash- 
ing fine  gold  dust  from  gravel  or  sand  for  the  prospect 
of  locating  a  placer  claim  where  coarse  gold  is  known 
to  exist. 

During  1897  (as  will  no  doubt  be  the  case  during 
1898),  the  frequent  discoveries  of  rich  gold  deposits 
have  kept  Dawson  City  up  to  fever  heat  of  excite- 
ment. It  is  almost  impossible  for  one  located  in  the 
great  cities  of  civiHzation  to  realize  the  high  pitch  of 
excitement  which  almost  constantly  prevails  in  a  bor- 
der mining  town.  Old  experienced  miners  are  fre- 
quently disgusted  with  themselves  when  they  hear  of 
the  rich  "strikes"  which  "green-horns"  are  constantly 
making.  A  party  of  the  latter  will  sometimes  start 
out  for  a  point  which  has  been  prospected  by  veteran 
miners  and  adjudged  to  be  worthless,  and  will  return 
with  the  most  sensational  reports,  bringing  with  them 
ample  evidence,  in  virgin  gold,  of  the  truthfulness  of 
the  stories  they  tell.  Then  the  "old  time  miners"  look 
into  one  another's  faces  with  expressions  of  the  deep- 
est mortification.  It  is  a  fact  that  during  the  present 
year  more  rich  "strikes"  were  made  in  the  Klondike 
country  by  "green-horns"  and  "tenderfeet"  than  by 
the  most  grizzled  and  weather-beaten  miners  of  the 
experienced  type.  The  latter  have  to  a  great  extent 
followed  in  the  footsteps  of  the  former,  and  in  this 
way  have  located  and  staked  out  their  best  claims. 
Nevertheless,  while  they  have  not  been  the  discover- 
ers of  the  richest  gold  deposits,  they  have  proven 
themselves  to  be  the  most  successful  miners  when  a 
profitable  location  has  been  made.  Then  it  is  that 
the  value  of  experience  comes  into  play ;  for,  one  who 
has  been  trained  to  operate  with  the  pan,  the  rocker 
and  the  sluice,  no  matter  how  crude  the  apparatus  may 
be,  can  wash  out  more  gold  in  a  single  day  than  can 
the  inexperienced  miner  in  a  whole  week. 

At  present  dogs  do  most  of  the  hauling  in  that  coun- 
try, but  horses  may  be  successfully  and  not  very  ex- 


158 


THE  GOLDEN  NORTH. 


pensively  kept  there,  so  that  in  another  year  the  dis- 
tribution of  supplies  will  no  doubt  be  carried  on  from 
Dawson  City  to  the  mining  camps  not  only  by  boat 
along  the  rivers,  but  also  by  means  of  horses.  Ar- 
rangements for  sending  a  vast  number  of  these  useful 
animals  to  that  region  are  already  being  made.  The 
country  around  Dawson  City  is  also  pretty  well  adapt- 
ed to  the  maintenance  of  cattle,  and  beef  may  be  pro- 
duced in  districts  not  far  distant  at  but  little  expense.. 
There  is  room  for  at  least  a  dozen  more  saw-mills  in 
the  Klondike  country,  and  a  greater  degree  of  com- 
petition in  trade  and  transportation  will  prove  of  value 
not  only  to  those  engaged  in  these  lines,  but  to  the 
miners  and  settlers  generally. 

Mission  churches  have  been  established  at  Dawson 
City  by  both  Protestants  and  Roman  Catholics,  and 
the  condition  of  society  is  rapidly  improving.  New 
business  enterprise-  are  starting  up  and  the  place  is 
rapidly  taknig  on  the  air  of  an  important  commercial 
center.  The  only  competition  of  any  importance  in 
that  country  is  between  the  North  American  Trading 
and  Transportation  Company  and  the  Alaska  Com- 
mercial Company,  but  this  is  of  considerable  advan- 
tage, and  is  likely  to  prove  more  beneficial  next  year 
than  it  has  during  the  present  one.  The  business  of 
the  first  named  corporation  at  Dawson  City  is  in 
charge  of  Capt.  John  J.  Healy.  He  was  the  origina- 
tor of  the  company,  and  it  was  through  his  personal 
efforts  that  John  Cudahy  and  P.  B.  Weare  of  Chicago 
were  induced  to  make  large  investments  in  the  enter- 
prise. Out  in  the  far  north,  Capt.  Healy,  who  is  well 
known  in  Chicago,  and  in  Grand  Army  circles  almost 
everywhere,  is  a  very  important  individual.  Down  in 
Chicago,  one  might  speak  of  the  organization  as  "Cu- 
dahy's  Company"  or  "Weare's  Company,"  but  in  the 
Klondike  it  is  "Capt.  Healy's  Company."  The  Alaska 
Commercial  Company's  business  at  Dawson  City  is  in 
charge  of  Capt.  J.  E.  Hansen,  who  is  an  energetic,  lib- 
eral minded  and  public  spirited  young  man. 


' ' 


wKigimmmmim. 


liiiPilPiM^PiilPPil 


METROPOLIS  OF  THE  KLONDIKE. 


159 


Capt.  Healjr  and  his  wife  have  a  comfortable  home 
at  Dawson  City.  He  moved  there  from  Fort  Cu- 
dahy  some  time  ago.  He  was  one  of  the  first  to  pros- 
pect for  gold  in  that  vicinity,  and  five  years  ago  located 
a  valuable  quartz  mine,  which  is  now  owned  by  his 
wife,  who  has  named  it  the  "Four  Leaf  Clover*'  mine, 
to  which  reference  has  already  been  made.  The 
blacksmith  shops  at  Dawson  City  are  doing  well,  and 
there  is  room  for  one  or  two  more.  The  same  re- 
marks will  apply  to  barber  shops,  bakeries  and  laun- 
dries. A  very  large  lodging  house  has  been  put  up 
at  Dawson  City  during  the  present  season,  where 
board  and  lodgings  are  provided,  and  where  the  price 
of  a  meal  is  $1.50  for  the  regulation  fare,  which  in- 
cludes nothing  in  the  way  of  luxuries.  There  are  sev- 
eral other  restaurants  in  the  city,  all  in  a  flourishing 
condition. 

The  facilities  in  the  Klondike  for  sending  money  to 
and  from  the  United  States  are  about  to  be  very  much 
improved.  Wells,  Fargo  &  Co.  are  establishing  a 
branch  of  their  business  in  Dawson,  and  this  will  fur- 
nish the  opportunity  for  miners  to  send  gold  to  their 
friends  and  families  in  this  country  at  a  reasonable  cost 
for  transportation  and  with  almost  perfect  security. 

Among  the  more  notable  women  at  Dawson  City, 
aside  from  Mrs.  Capt.  Healy,  are  Mrs.  Clarence  J. 
Berry  and  Mrs.  E.  F.  Gage,  wife  of  the  son  of  Lyman  J. 
Gage,  Secretary  of  the  United  States  Treasury.  The 
latter  was  in  the  country  when  the  first  Klondike  dis- 
coveries were  made,  and  soon  after  returned  to  Chica- 
go. She  embarked  again  for  the  Klondike  in  the  early 
autumn  of  the  present  year.  Her  husband  is  auditor 
of  the  North  American  Transportation  and  Trading 
Company. 

On  the  return  of  Mrs.  Gage  to  Chicago  in  July, 
1897,  she  made  the  following  statement  concerning 
her  experiences  in  the  far  north : 

'Tt  is  wonderful  how  fascinating  the  Hfe  on  the 
frontier  becomes.    The  man  or  woman  who  gels  a 


i6o 


THE  GOLDEN  NORTH. 


taste  of  it  and  succeeds  and  thrives  by  it,  rarely  gets 
to  like  anything  else.  It  may  be  a  barbarous  confes- 
sion, but  it  seems  to  me  that  the  kindest,  most  consid- 
erate and  most  practically  honest  people  that  I  ever 
met  are  the  miners  who  are  risking  all  at  one  throw 
in  the  work  on  the  Klondike.  It  was  here  that  I  saw 
a  code  of  honor  which  made  all  men  honest — a  life  in 
which  each  man  must  live  a  fair  part  or  get  a  forcible 
and  roughly  polite  invitation  to  move. 

"It  takes  men  of  sturdy  character  to  get  into  the  val- 
ley, and  the  virtues  which  the>  cling  to  are  ones  from 
which  they  want  no  man  to  part.  I  do  not  think  that 
I  heard  of  a  single  case  in  my  summer's  stay  in  upper 
Alaska  where  prospectors  and  diggers  had  been  guilty 
of  dishonesty.  It  may  be  that  honesty  is  a  trait  which 
thrives  because  it  is  backed  by  the  point  of  a  gun,  but 
it  is  there  nevertheless.  Explorers  going  to  the  field 
or  miners  coming  out,  frequently  undertake  greater 
loads  than  the  teams  can  pull  through.  It  is  the  cus- 
tom at  such  times  to  put  the  surplus  at  the  roadside 
and  go  on  with  half.  The  part  left  behind  is  perfectly 
safe  until  it  shall  be  called  for.  I  doubt  that  this  rule 
would  work  in  Chicago  or  other  civilized  places." 


pip^iiiPiWiiwwwpiiW 


mm 


mm 


NORTHWEST  ROUTES  TO  GOLD  FIELDS.  l6l 


CHAPTER  XXII. 

NORTHWEST  ROUTES  TO  GOLD  FIELDS. 

Description  of  trail  by  the  Lewis  and  Peace  rivers — Short 
and  cheap  cut  to  the  Klondike— Route  by  the  Felly  and 
Liard  rivers. 

The  route  from  and  to  the  Klondike  country  by  way 
of  the  Lewis  and  Peace  rivers,  and  across  the  moun- 
tains between  them,  is  already  being  traveled  and  is 
likely  to  become  a  popular  one  during  the  latter  part 
of  the  approaching  winter  and  early  spring.  A  party 
recently  organized  in  Chicago  has  started  out  over 
this  route,  in  charge  of  Lambertus  Warmolts.  Con- 
cerning the  trip  he  made  the  following  statement  be- 
fore leaving: 

"We  estimate  we  will  make  the  trip  from  Edmonton 
to  Peel  River  in  twenty-three  days.  I  have  traveled 
the  same  route  before,  having  been  in  that  country 
all  winter  three  years  ago  on  a  hunting  expedition. 

"There  is  only  one  portage  to  make,  of  sixteen 
miles,  near  the  foot  of  Lake  Athabasca,  and  there  is  a 
horse  tramway  there,  built  by  the  Hudson's  Bay  Com- 
pany, that  makes  it  easy.  In  fact  the  whole  trip  to  the 
Peel  River  is  dotted  with  the  company's  posts.  Their 
steamers  will  take  us  down  Great  Silver  Lake,  and 
the  trip  will  not  be  a  hard  one  until  we  reach  the 
Peel. 

"There  we  will  knock  our  boats  to  pieces  and  build 
sledges.  We  are  going  to  haul  our  stuff  the  rest  of 
the  way.  We  go  up  the  Peel  about  250  miles,  and  will 
use  sails,  the  wind  being  almost  always  from  the  north 
in  winter.  We  will  have  to  make  a  trip  across  about 
fifty  miles  of  snow  fields  from  the  head  of  the  Peel  to 
the  head  of  the  Beaver.    We  have  not  decided  yet 


I62 


THE  GOLDEN  NORTH. 


which  to  strike.  We  will  work  between  the  head 
waters  of  those  two  streams." 

The  Beaver  above  referred  to  is  of  course  the  Peace 
River. 

From  the  junction  of  the  Pelly  and  Lewis  rivers,  at 
Fort  Selkirk,  this  route  is  by  the  Lewis  River,  which 
has  already  been  fully  described.  Considerably  above 
Vatchee  Lake  this  river  divides,  the  two  branches  find- 
ing their  source  in  lakes  of  considerable  size  not  far 
west  of  Dease  Lake.  The  latter  lies  southwest  of  the 
Blue  Mountains,  a  part  of  the  Rocky  Mountain  chain. 
On  the  southwestern  shore  of  this  lake  is  Dease  House, 
a  Hudson's  Bay  trading  station.  South  of  the  lake 
and  between  the  mountain  ranges  which  lie  along,  in 
an  east  and  west  direction,  north  of  Fort  Mumford  on 
the  one  hand,  and  to  the  south  of  Dease  Lake  on  the 
other,  is  a  very  convenient  pass  extending  to  the  head 
waters  of  the  Peace  River.  There  are  no  records  at 
hand  which  give  the  height  above  sea  level  of  is  pass, 
but  it  is  between  2,000  and  2,500  feet,  and  is  oiiC  of  the 
easiest  passes  for  pack  travel  through  the  northern 
Rocky  Mountain  range,  and  is  convenient  throughout 
its  whole  distance,  during  a  greater  part  of  the  year, 
fpr  bob-sled  or  buck-board  travel.  The  Lewis  River 
is  left  at  about  the  131st  degree  of. longitude  and  the 
head  waters  of  the  Peace  River  are  reached  at  about 
the  128th  degree,  which,  in  that  latitude,  is  not  more 
than  one  hundred  and  twenty-five  miles.  Stretches  of 
the  head  waters  of  the  Peace  River  may  be  navigated, 
with  slight  interruptions,  to  "Old  Fort,"  and  below  it 
to  Fort  Dunvegan,  and  below  it  Fort  au  Tremble,  and 
still  below  that  to  Fort  Vermilion  at  the  Falls,  and 
from  the  Falls  at  Red  River  Fori,  where  the  Red  joins 
the  Peace  River,  to  Lake  Athabasca  at  Fort  Chippew- 
yan.  This  is  one  of  the  most  convenient  routes  of 
travel  that  can  be  adopted  for  reaching  the  Klondike 
country.  It  may  be  used  successfully  during  any  por- 
tion of  the  year  except  iu  the  springtime,  when,  for 
about  forty  days,  when  excessive  freshets  prevail  in 


■^.  ..:• 


NORTHWEST  ROUTES  TO  GOLD  FIELDS. 


163 


the  mountain  streams,  covering  the  lowlands  with 
much  water. 

The  distance  from  Lake  Athabasca  to  Edmonton, 
which  is  on  the  north  branch  ot  the  Saskatchewan 
River,  is  not  great,  and  may  be  traveled  almost  en- 
tirely by  water  r^uring  the  summer  months,  and  in 
winter  b)  sleds.  At  Edmonton  the  Canadian  Pacific 
Railway  is  reached,  which  will  carry  the  traveler  to 
Pacific  or  southwestern  points  of  civilization. 

This  whole  route  may  be  covered  from  Edmonton 
in  the  Canadian  Northwest  to  Fort  Selkirk  at  the 
junction  of  the  Lewis  and  Felly  rivers,  or  to  the  Klon- 
dike country  in  about  three  months.  It  may  be  trav- 
eled from  Eidmonton  to  the  rich  gold  fields  on  the  up- 
per Peace  and  Liard  river  systems  in  about  two  months 
or  less,  and  by  water  and  land  to  those  points  or  to  the 
Klondike  regions  beyond  the  mountains.  Any  quan- 
tity of  horses  and  supplies  may  be  trans^-^rted  over- 
land, in  winter  or  summer,  by  the  use  of  boats,  sleds 
and  wagons,  and  at  little  cost.  There  is  an  abun- 
dance of  wild  fowl  and  game  of  all  kinds  throughout 
this  whole  country,  and  in  season  grasses  of  aost  lux- 
uriant growth  abound  everywhere.  In  the  winter  sea- 
son native  horses  will  paw  the  snow  from  the  ground 
in  the  lower  levels  and  subsist  in  excellent  condition 
with  one  feed  of  oats  daily;  but  in  the  mountain  sec- 
tion the  snow  is  too  deep  to  permit  of  this  method  of 
subsistence.  Everywhere  along  the  route  there  is 
excellent  timber,  and  one  will  not  travel  more  than 
one  hundred  miles  in  any  direction  without  finding  a 
hospitable  stopping  place  at  or  near  some  thriving 
Hudson's  Bay  trading  post. 

The  more  northern  route  is  by  the  Pelly  River  to 
Lake  Frances,  which  finds  its  bed  well  into  the  Rocky 
Mountain  region ;  on  the  western  shore  of  this  lake  is 
Fort  Francis,  an  old  Hudson's  Bay  trading  station. 
Near  this  fort  to  the  south,  and  exactly  on  the  130th 
degree  of  longitude,  is  the  entrance  to  one  of  the  most 
accessible    passes    in    the    Rocky    Mountains.     Fort 


:| 


1 64 


THE  GOLDEN  NORTH. 


Francis  and  Lake  Frances  are  upon  the  highest  eleva- 
tion of  the  Rockies  in  this  region,  and  as  one  enters 
the  pass  north  of  the  Bkie  fountain  range  he  imme- 
diately meets  with  the  head  waters  of  the  Liard  River, 
and  begins  to  descend  the  mountains  towards  the  al- 
luvial plains  of  the  upper  Mackenzie  system.  The 
Liard  River  is  descended  to  Fort  Halkepp,  a  Hud- 
son's Bay  trading  post,  on  its  banks.  A  considerable 
distance  below  this  post  the  river  turns  abruptly  north- 
ward and  flows  down  to  the  Mackenzie,  joining  it  at 
Fort  Simpson.  The  Liard  River  may  be  left  at  the 
turn  where  one  of  its  branches  flows  due  south;  this 
may  be  followed  to  a  point  where  the  traveler  can 
proceed  overland,  traversing  a  beautiful  park  or  prai- 
rie country,  until  Fort  au  Tremble,  another  Hudson's 
Bay  trading  post,  on  the  Peace  River,  is  reached. 
From  that  point  the  route  is  southeastward  over  the 
same  line  that  would  be  traversed  in  coming  out  of  the 
Peace  River  Valley. 

The  head  waters  of  the  Liard  and  Peace  rivers, 
which  reach  far  up  into  the  Rocky  Mountains,  are  re- 
enforced  everywhere  by  innumerable  smaller  streams 
flowing  into  them  and  connecting  with  still  smaller 
currents.  Here  and  there  are  unexplored  creeks  and 
brooks  draining  one  of  the  richest  auriferous  moun- 
tain-slope districts  to  be  found  anywhere  in  North 
America.  It  is  because  of  the  gold  discoveries  al- 
ready reported  from  this  region,  and  of  those  that  are 
sure  to  be  made  known  hereafter,  that  the  two  routes 
last  mentioned  are  certain  to  become  popular  and 
much  traveled  by  those  who  will  go  from  these  fields 
of  civilization  into  the  higher  latitudes  in  search  of 
gold. 

There  is  not  a  great  deal  of  difference  between  the 
distances  or  the  time  occupied  in  making  the  journey 
over  these  natural  lines  of  travel.  The  Peace  River 
trail  is  the  shortest,  but  passes  over  greater  altitudes, 
while  that  by  way  of  the  Liard  River  is  of  course  the 
longest,  being  farther  to  the  north;  but  the  mountain 


m^ 


'TTTfTpwn 


NORTHWEST  ROUTES  TO  GOLD  FIELDS.         165 

paths  leading  from  its  upper  waters  to  Lake  Francis, 
which  is  the  chief  source  of  the  Pelly  River,  is  con- 
siderable lower  than  that  from  the  source  of  the  Peace 
River  to  the  lakes  at  the  head  of  the  Lewis. 

In  addition  to  this  the  overland  route  to  be  traveled 
on  the  summit  of  the  Rockies  between  the  two  points 
last  named  is  much  greater  than  that  oi  the  more 
northern  line  of  travel ;  the  head  of  Liard  River  is  not 
more  than  ten  miles  from  Lake  Francis,  which  is  the 
principal  source  of  Pelly  River. 

One  feature  common  to  both  of  these  routes  is  not 
enjoyed  by  any  other  line  of  travel  leading  to  the 
Klondike  country;  it  consists  in  the  fact  that  during 
the  winter  months  very  high  temperatures,  comoara- 
tively  speaking,  are  recorded  in  the  passes  named. 
This  is  due  to  low  altitudes  and  to  the  northern  Chi- 
nook winds  which  blow  from  the  Pacific  through  all 
the  mountain  passes  of  that  region,  constantly  pouring 
a  mighty  volume  of  warm  atmosphere  upon  the  al- 
luvial park  and  prairie  plains  of  the  Pe£ce  and  Mac- 
kenzie River  basins.  The  snowfall  is  less  than  in  any 
of  the  mountain  ranges  either  to  the  south  of  it  or  on 
the  western  coast,  and  one  may  travel  throughout  all 
this  region  during  the  coldest  winter  months  without 
sufTering  to  any  extent,  if  properly  clad.  We  do  not 
hesitate  to  state  from  the  authenticated  information  in 
our  possession  that  these  are  by  all  odds  the  best 
routes  for  reachmg  the  gold  fields  of  the  far  north; 
and,  what  is  more,  they  are  pre-eminently  winter  routes 
and  may  be  traveled  quite  as  successfully  during  the 
cold  season  as  during  the  warm  months  of  summer, 
and  vastly  more  so  than  in  the  springtime,  when  the 
country  is  somewhat  flooded  for  a  little  over  a  month. 


aumumtit 


i66 


THE  GOLDEN  NORTH. 


1 


14. 


CHAPTER  XXIII. 

YUKON  AND  JUNEAU  ROUTES. 

DoBcription  of  St.  MichaelB—Tomperature  ar.d  !ce — Season 
of  navigation  ou  the  Yukon— "Fort  Gel.  Tnere"— The 
Dyea  aad  3kagiiay  passes. 

The  gold  seeker  who  reaches  the  Klondike  country 
by  the  St.  Michaels  route  will  occupy  a  longer  time 
from  the  start  to  the  iinish  of  Ivr  journey  than  by  any 
other  line  of  travel  open,  From  Pacific  ports  he  may 
take  his  choice,  if  traveling  by  St.  Michaels  and  the 
Yukon,  of  the  North  Ainerican  Trading  and  Trans- 
portation Company  or  Alaska  Commercial  Company 
r.tcamers.  The  town  of  St.  Michaels,  at  the  mouth  of 
the  Yukon,  is  a  carelessly  built  collection  of  old  Rus- 
sian structures,  the  principal  features  of  which  are  the 
warehouses  of  the  companies  doing  business  on  the 
river,  A  number  of  independent  traders  also  have 
V       houses  there  of  considerable  extent. 

At  the  close  of  the  oresent  summer  St.  Michaels  had 
a  white  population  of  about  500,  mostly  transient, 
although  it  was  expected  that  a  still  larger  number 
would  winter  there.  The  place  includes  about  300 
Eskimos  or  innuits,  who  are  going  and  coming  to  and 
fro  in  the  fur  and  fif*h  trade.  There  are  no  trees  on 
the  island  upon  which  St.  Michaels  is  located,  but  it 
is  well  covered  with  grass  during  the  summer  season. 
Its  surface  is  quite  undulating  and  presents  a  pleasing 
aspect.  Of  course  It  is  not  as  cold  at  St.  Michaels  as 
in  the  interior.  The  average  temperature  for  the 
twelve  months  in  the  year  1896  is  recorded  as  follows: 


January 

February  

March  9.5 


— e 

—6 


April 
May 
June 


,22.1 
.32.8 
•45-2 


imiaiapiBnKemi 


If  Hjijpimi  i[wmwmmmiiif!'!m>iKmmmamnm^ 


YUKON  AND  JUNEAU  ROUTES. 


167 


July 53.1         October  28.0 

August    52.1         November  1S.3 

September 43.3        December   8.9 

The  season  of  snowfall  begins  about  the  first  of  Oc- 
tober, and  by  the  middle  of  the  month  ice  has  formed 
at  the  mouth  of  the  Yukon.  Navigation  closes  about 
the  middle  of  September,  however,  for  the  tipper  part 
of  the  river  freezes  much  sooner  than  its  mouth. 
When  the  ice  once  forms,  it  .-  !nains  fast  until  the  end 
of  the  first  week  in  June,  when  it  breaks  up  and  flows 
into  the  sea.    The  river  is  cleared  in  about  ten  days. 

Near  to  the  town  proper  is  a  station  of  the  North 
American  Transportation  and  Trading  Company,  to 
which  the  name  of  ''Fort  Get  There"  has  been  given. 
All  merchandise,  supplies  and  passengers  are  trans- 
shipped at  St.  Michals  and  'Tort  Get  There"  by  the 
respective  transportation  companies.  This  is  done  be- 
cause a  class  of  steamers  of  lighter  draught  than  those 
which  traverse  the  ocean  are  required  for  the  river 
traffic.  Then  the  trip  is  made  up  the  river,  through 
the  country  which  we  have  already  described,  for  about 
1,750  miles  to  Dawson  City.  Different  authorities 
give  us  different  lengths  of  this  route,  ranging  from 
1,650  to  1,800  miles.  It  is  probably  about  the  latter 
distance  from  St.  Michaels  to  the  junction  of  the  Lewis 
and  Pelly  rivers  at  old  Fort  Selkirk. 

Fresh  salmon  is  alm.orit  a  constant  diet  on  board  the 
river  steamers  until  one  becomes  tired  of  it.  The 
route  by  which  one  travels  does  not  lake  much  dif- 
ference as  to  ^he  kind  of  clothing  a.^d  character  of 
supplies  he  should  take  with  him  into  the  Klondike 
country,  for  these  necessaries  are  for  his  use  after  he 
arrives  rather  than  during  the  tourney. 

Perhaps  next  in  importat  .<;  to  the  Yukon  is  the 
Juneau  route,  the  starting  point  of  which  may  be 
reached  from  any  of  the  Pacific  ports.  Juneau  is  the 
largest  city  in  Alaska,  and  will  probably  continue'  to  be 
such.    Dawson  City,  which  has  already  passed  it  in 


i68 


THE  GOLDEN  NORTH. 


population  and  commercial  importance,  is  located  in 
the  Canadian  Northwest.  Juneau  is  situated  on  the 
mainland  on  level  ground  between  the  sea  and  lofty 
mountains  which  rise  nearly  4,000  feet  above  the  sea 
level.  These  mountains  are  capped  with  perpetual 
snow  and  ice.  The  town  was  founded  by  Joseph 
Juneau  and  Richard  Harris  in  1880.  This  Joseph 
Juneau  is  a  nephew  of  the  Juneau  of  history,  who 
founded  the  city  of  Milwaukee,  Wis.  The  city  has  a 
population  at  the  present  time  of  about  3,000,  five  or 
six  hundred  of  which  are  constantly  going  and  com- 
ing. It  has  a  pretty  good  waterworks  system,  an 
electric  light  plant,  and  two  flourishing  newspapers. 

From  Juneau  the  traveler  proceeds  by  I-ynn  Chan- 
nel, which  has  two  sources  or  inlets,  called  Chilcat  and 
Chilkoot.  These  inlets  lead  respectively  up  to  the 
passes  of  the  same  .names.  The  former  is  not  very 
well  known  and  has  not  been  extensively  traveled  up 
to  the  present  time.  It  has  been  called  the  "Dalton 
Trail."  The  White  Pass  is  being  greatly  improved  and 
has  been  recently  much  used  from  Skaguay.  There 
is  some  talk  of  the  Canadian  Government  construct- 
ing a  wagon-road  through  this  pass  in  order  to  ascer- 
tain its  advantages  as  a  railway  route.  It  is  now  gen- 
erally believed  that  this  pass  will  prove  superior  to 
that  of  the  Chilkoot,  which  has  heretofore  been  much 
more  generally  traveled.  To  reach  either  the  Chilkoot 
or  White  passes,  the  route  from  Juneau  is  by  Dyea  or 
Skagtiay,  which  is  only  eight  miles.  Dyea  has  be- 
come quite  a  town.  It  had  for  many  years  been  a 
thriving  Indian  village  and  trading  post. 

From  Dyea,  through  the  Chilkoot  Pass,  the  route 
leads  to  Lake  Lindemann.  The  distance  is  a  little 
less  than  thirty  miles.  The  ascent  and  descent  through 
this  pass  from  Dyea  to  Lake  Lindemann  are  very 
steep,  but  the  highest  elevation  reached  is  not  more 
than  3,000  feet  above  sea  level,  although  the  snow- 
crowned  mountains  on  either  side  of  the  traveler  reach 
thousands  of  feet  into  the  clouds.    We  have  alreadv 


* 


YUKON  AND  JUNEAU  ROUTES. 


169 


fully  described  the  routes  of  travel  from  Lake  Linde- 
mann  and  Lake  Bennett,  at  the  northern  termini  of 
these  passes,  to  the  Lewis  River,  which  is  the  first  ob- 
jective point  of  all  travelers  through  them. 

Near  Dyea  and  to  the  east  of  it  is  Skaguay,  where 
there  is  a  considerable  town  of  delayed  miners,  and 
from  which  many  depart  to  scale  the  mountain  passes 
for  the  Klondike  country.  It  will  be  some  time  be- 
fore travel  in  these  regions  will  demonstrate  which  is 
the  preferable  pass  over  the  mountains,  but,  as  before 
stated,  it  is  likely  that  a  considerable  volume  of  travel 
and  transportation  will  continue  to  seek  these  routes. 


170 


THE  GOLDEN  NORTH. 


CHAPTER  XXIV. 

ALASKAN  BOUNDARY  QUESTION. 

Alaskan  boundary  controversy  and  correspondence  be- 
tween the  United  States  and  Dominion  of  Canada — 
Population  of  Alaska— Increase  owing*  to  gold  dis- 
coveries. 

Returning  to  Alaska  proper  we  take  a  farewell  sur- 
vey of  that  territory,  considering  very  briefly  the 
boundary  question,  the  population,  the  towns  and  trad- 
ing posts,  the  fur  trade,  the  seal  and  other  fisheries, 
the  commerce  and  transportation  facilities,  institutions, 
etc.  In  the  treaty  of  se  sion  of  March  30,  1867,  by 
which  the  United  States  acquired  Alaska,  the  bounda- 
ries between  the  territory  and  the  British  possessions 
were  defined  as: 

"Commencing  from  the  southermost  point  of  the 
island  called  Prince  of  Wales  Island,  which  point  lies 
in  the  parallel  of  54  degrees  40  minutes  north  latitude, 
and  between  the  131st  and  133d  degree  of  west  longi- 
tude (meridian  of  Greenwich),  the  said  line  shall  ascend 
to  the  north  along  the  channel  called  Portland  Chan- 
nel as  far  as  the  point  of  the  continent  where  it  strikes 
the  56th  degree  of  north  latitude;  from  this  la  t-men- 
tioned  )^o'mt,  the  line  of  demarcation  shall  follow  the 
summit  of  the  mountains  situated  parallel  to  the  coast 
as  far  as  the  point  of  intersection  of  the  141st  degree 
of  west  longitude  (of  the  same  meridian) ;  and  finally, 
from  the  said  point  of  intersect'on,  the  said  meridian 
line  of  the  141st  degree,  in  its  prolongation  as  far  as 
the  Frozen  Ocean." 

"With  reference  to  the  line  of  demarcation  laid  down 
'in  the  preceding  article,  it  is  understood— 

"ist.    That  the  hUwl  called  Prince  of  Wales  Island 


ALASKAN  BOUNDARY  QUESTION. 


171 


shall  belong  wholly  to  Russia  (now,  by  this  cession,  to 
the  United  States). 

"2d.  That  whenever  the  summit  of  the  mountains 
which  extend  in  a  direction  parallel  to  the  coast  from 
the  56th  degree  of  north  latitude  to  the  point  of  inter- 
section of  the  141st  degree  of  west  longitude  shall 
prove  to  be  at  the  distance  of  more  than  ten  marine 
leaguci'v  from  the  ocean,  the  limit  between  the  British 
possessions  and  the  line  of  coast  which  is  to  belong  to 
Russia  as  above  mentioned  (that  is  to  say,  the  limit 
to  the  possessions  ceded  by  this  convention)  shall  be 
formed  by  a  line  parallel  to  the  winding  of  the  coast, 
and  which  shall  never  exceed  the  distance  of  ten  ma- 
rine leagues  therefrom." 

The  treaty  of  cession  was  concluded  March  30,  1867, 
and  the  consideration  first  agreed  upon  was  $7,000,- 
000,  but  when  it  was  learned  that  there  was  a  fur  com- 
pany and  also  an  ice  company  enjoying  monopolies 
under  the  Russian  government,  it  was  thought  best 
that  these  should  be  extinguished;  hence  the  United 
States  added  $200,000  to  the  original  amount  agreed 
upon,  in  consideration  of  which  the  Russirn  govern- 
ment handed  the  territory  over  free  of  all  incum- 
brances. 

Not  long  after  the  territory  was  annexed  the  eastern 
boundary  line  of  Alaska  became  a  subject  of  some  con- 
troversy between  the  United  States  and  the  British 
governments.  In  1872,  President  Grant  recommend- 
ed a  commission  to  deal  with  the  matter,  but  Congress 
took  no  action  In  1886,  President  Cleveland  asked 
Congress  for  an  appropriation  of  $100,000  for  a  pre- 
liminary survey  of  the  frontier  territory. 

During  the  winter  of  1887-88  informal  conferences 
were  held  in  Washington  between  Prof.  W.  H.  Dall, 
of  the  United  States  Geological  Survey,  and  Dr. 
George  M.  Dawson,  of  Canada,  both  authorities  on  the 
Territory  of  Alaska,  but  the  conferences  led  to  no  re- 
sult. On  August  20,  1895,  Lord  Gough  inquired  of 
Secretary  Olney  if  a  joint  surveyor  could  not  be  ap- 


gmmmm 


HHHi 


I  I 


THE  GOLDEN  NORTH. 


pointed  to  act  with  Mr.  William  Ogilvie,  who  was  then 
about  to  survey  the  intersection  of  the  141st  degree  and 
the  Yukon  River.  The  acting  Secretary  of  State 
asked  if  the  proposed  survey  could  nol  e  delayed  un- 
til Congress  had  had  an  opportunity  to  consider  the 
question.  This  suggestion  was  trcinsmitted  to  the 
Canadian  government,  which  answered  that  the  season 
was  so  far  advanced  that  it  would  not  be  possible  to 
communicate  with  Mr.  Ogilvie  before  the  next  sum- 
mer, when  a  considerable  portion  of  the  141st  degree 
would  already  be  marked  o:ni  the  ground.  An  extract 
from  a  letter  by  Secretary  Olney,  dated  March  11, 
1896,  was  as  follows: 

"So  far  as  the  recent  and  existing  surveys  on  either 
side  have  progressed  they  exhibit  a  close  coincidence 
of  results.  At  one  point,  as  I  am  informed,  the  dif- 
ference between  Mr.  Ogilvie's  location  and  that  made 
by  the  United  States  Coast  and  Geodetic  Survey  is 
only  about  6  feet  7  inches.  In  another  point  the  dif- 
ference is  in  the  neighborhood  of  500  or  600  feet,  and 
at  other  points  even  closer  coincidence  than  this  lat- 
ter is  expected  when  the  comparison  of  calculations 
shall  have  been  worked  out.'' 

Mr.  Olney  proposed  that  the  two  governments 
should  agree  upon  certain  points  of  the  141st  degree 
at  the  intersection  of  the  principal  streams,  locating 
the  same  at  a  point  midway  between  the  determinr- 
tions  of  the  Coast  and  Geodetic  Survey  and  of  Mr. 
Ogilvie,  and  prov  ding  for  the  junction  of  the  points  so 
located  by  convenient  joint  ;;urveys,  as  occasion  should 
require,  until  the  entire  line  should  be  established. 
This  would  supply  a  permanent  line  which  for  interna- 
tional purposes  would  be  coincident  with  the  145th 
degree,  stipulated  under  ejilsting  treaties,  and  would 
require  no  further  immediate  arrangement  than  the 
dispatch  of  a  joint  surveying  party  to  set  up  monu- 
ments at  the  points  defined,  with  perhaps  the  survey  of 
a  traverse  line  connecting  the  monuments  on  the  Yu- 
kon and  Forty  Mile  Creek,  und  farther  south  if  neces- 


ALASKAN   BOUNDARY  QUESTION. 


173 


sary.  The  Canadian  government  agreed  to  this  prop- 
osition, and  the  convention  is  now  pending  before  the 
Senate  of  the  United  States. 

No  accurate  estimate  of  the  population  of  Alaska 
was  made  until  the  census  of  1890.  In  1868,  in  a  re- 
port by  Major  General  Halleck,  the  number  given  was 
82400.  In  the  same  year,  the  Rev.  Vincent  Collyfir, 
in  his  report  to  the  Commissioner  of  Indian  Affairs, 
added  11,000  Thlinket  Indians  to  the  number  given 
by  General  Halleck,  making  94,300,  while  Ivan  Pe- 
troflf,  special  agent  for  the  tenth  census  (1880),  states 
the  population  as  33,426.  The  census  of  1890,  which 
is  the  first  detailed  statement,  fixes  the  number  at  32,- 
052,  which  is  made  up  of  4,298  white,  23,531  Indians, 
2,288  Mongolians,  and  1,935  mixed  blood.  The  gold 
discoveries  of  the  Klondike  region  during  the  present 
year  have  had  the  effect  of  increasing  the  population  of 
Alaska  by  about  10,000. 


I.. 


■li 


174 


THE  GOLDEN  NORTH, 


CHAPTER  XXV. 


TOWNS  AND  TRADING  POSTS  OF  ALASKA. 

Sitka  and  Juneau— St.  Michaels  and  the  trading  posts  of  the 
Aleutian  Islands— Douglas  City  and  the  great  Treadwell 
gold  mine — Trade  and  trafllc. 

Sitka  is  the  capital  of  Alaska.  It  is  located  in  57 
degrees  north  and  135  degrees  17  minutes  west,  on  a 
low  strip  of  land  on  the  west  of  Baranof  Island.  The 
population  at  the  present  time  is  about  3,000.  An  in- 
dustrial school  is  conducted  in  the  city  and  is  in  a 
flourishing  condition.  Of  course  salmon  fishing  and 
canning  is  the  chief  industry.  Steamers  ply  quite  fre- 
quently between  Citka  and  Portland,  Oregon.  The 
harbor  is  small  but  safe. 

The  January  temperature  for  Sitka  for  more  than 
forty  years  averages  31.4  above  zero.  The  rainfall  for 
thirty  years  averages  84.06  inches  annually.  The  win- 
ters at  this  place  are  much  milder  than  those  of  many 
European  cities.  By  the  inner  passage,  between  the 
archipelago  and  the  coast  of  British  Columbia  and 
Alaska,  the  distance- from  Portland,  Oregon,  to  Sitka 
is  1,647  niiles;  large  sailing  vessels  have  to  go  outside. 
Juneau  is  located  near  the  Lynn  Channel,  by  which 
there  are  trails  to  the  Yukon.  Mr.  Wilson  says  that ' 
the  year  1895  witnessed  a  great  improvement  in  the 
town,  and  Juneau  is  to-day  a  progressive  city,  with 
fine  buildings,  whar\es,  electric  lights,  waterworks, 
hotels,  etc.  Wrangell,  on  the  northern  part  of  the 
island  of  the  same  name,  is  about  ten  miles  from  the 
mouth  of  the  Stikine,  and  is  the  point  of  departure  for 
traders  and  miners  penetrating  into  the  interior  by 
way  of  that  river.  Douglas  City,  on  Douglas  Island, 
near  Juneau,  has  a  population  of  about  600.  Here  the 
celebrated  Treadwell  gold  mine  is  located   with  the 


# 


TOWNS  AND  TRADING  POSTS  OF  ALASKA.      175 

largest  quartz  min  in  the  world.    The   mine    has 
proved  a  great  success  financially. 

Joseph  P.  Smith,  director  of  the  Bureau  of  Ameri- 
can Republics,  in  a  document  recently  issued,  speaks 
of  the  principal  towns  and  trading  posts  of  Alaska  as 
follows : 

"Yakutat  (population  308)  is  on  Yakutat  Bay.  Nu- 
chek  is  situated  on  Hinchinbrook  Island,  432  miles  by 
sea  from  Sitka,  and  50  miles  from  the  mouth  of  the 
Copper  River.  It  was  formerly  ah  important  trading 
post,  but  much  of  the  commerce  has  been  transferred. 
St.  Paul,  on  the  northern  part  of  Kadiak  Island,  does 
a  large  fur  trade.  There  are  a  number  of  salmon  can- 
neries on  the  island,  employing  in  1890,  according  to 
Longman's  Gazetteer,  1,100  hands.  Karluk  (popula- 
tion 1,123)  is  said  to  have  the  largest  cannery  in  the 
world.  Kadiak  (495),  Alitak  (420),  and  Afognak  (409) 
are  other  villages  on  the  island. 

"On  the  Aleutian  Islands  there  are  many  settle- 
ments. The  one  on  Ounga  Island  has  a  population 
of  about  200,  according  to  Mr.  PetrofT.  Belkowsky,  on 
the  southern  end  of  the  Aliasla  Peninsula,  has  300  in- 
habitants. Near  Protassof  (100  inhabitants)  there  are 
warm  sulphur  springs  and  ponds.  Iliuliuk,  on  Un- 
alaska  Island,  is  a  point  of  considerable  commercial 
importance,  having  a  church,  custom  house,  trading  es- 
tablishments, wharves,  etc.  Nikolsky,  on  the  south 
of  Unimak  Island,  has  127  inhabitants:  it  was  for- 
merly much  larger.  Nazan,  on  Athka  Island,  has  a 
population  of  230,  described  by  Mr.  Petrofif  as  thrifty 
and  prosperous.  St.  Paul,  on  the  Pribilof  Islands,  has 
a  population  of  398.  The  Amukhta  and  the  Unimak 
are  the  two  safe  passes  between  the  islands. 

"St.  Michaels,  on  Norton  Sound,  is  one  of  the  most 
important  localities  on  the  coast.  It  is  a  trading  post, 
says  Mr.  Petroflf,  where  rival  firms  have  established 
their  depots  for  the  Yukon  River  and  Arctic  trade. 
The  station  keepers  come  down  from  the  interior  to 
the  coast  at  the  end  of  June  or  first  of  July,  and  each 


Pi 


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176 


THE  GOLDEN  NORTH. 


receives  his  allotment  of  goods  to  take  back  with  him 
in  sailboats  and  bidars  during  the  few  months  when 
navigation  on  the  river  is  not  impeded  by  ice.  The 
vessels  supplying  this  depot  can  seldom  approach  the 
post  before  the  end  of  June,  on  account  of  large  bodies 
of  drifting  ice  that  beset  the  waters  of  Norton  Sound 
and  the  straits  between  St.  Lawrence  Island  and  the 
Yukon  delta. 

"Port  Clarence,  on  the  bay  of  the  same  name,  is  the 
place  where  whalers  wait  for  their  tenders  before  pro- 
ceeding through  the  straits.  The  harbor  is  excellent. 
There  is  a  reindeer  farm  here.  The  population  num- 
bers 485.  Point  Hope  (population  301),  Cape  Lis- 
burne,  Icy  Cape,  and  Point  Barrow  are  the  most  im- 
portant poiits  on  the  northern  coast. 

"Nulato  and  Nuklakayet  are  trading  posts  on  the 
Yukon  River,  the  former  being  467  miles  from  the 
sea,  according  to  Lieutenant  Allen,  and  Nuklakayer, 
201  miles  farther.  Fort  Yukon  (about  300  miles  dis- 
tant from  Nuklakayer)  was  formerly  a  trading  post. 
Lieutenant  Schwatka  says  it  was  abandoned  about 
1880  as  not  remunerative,  and  Fort  Reliance  and  Belle 
Isle  were  established.  Both  of  these  have  since  been 
abandoned.  At  Fort  Yukon  the  river  is  said  to  be 
seven  miles  wide." 

Circle  City,  on  the  Yukon,  near  the  international 
boundary  line,  has  become  quite  a  trading  center,  but 
when  gold  was  discovered  on  the  Klondike  most  of  its 
inhabitants  moved  to  Dawson  City,  in  Canadian  terri- 
tory. 


THE  FUR-SEAL  CONTROVERSY. 


m 


CHAPTER  XXVI. 

THE  FUR-SEAL  CONTROVERSY. 

Account  of  the  fur-sealing  grounds,  and  their  great  value — 
The  annual  catch— Pelagic  sealing — History  of  the 
great  controversy — Solution  of  all  difficulties  practi- 
cally accomplished. 

We  are  indebted  to  the  argument  made  by  James 
C  Carter,  on  behalf  of  the  United  States,  before  the 
Tribunal  of  Arbitration  in  Paris  in  1893,  for  the  fol- 
lowing instructive  observations  on  the  Alaskan  fur- 
seal  resources  and  controversy:  During  most  of  the 
eighteenth  century,  as  all  are  aware,  the  efforts  and 
ambitions  of  various  European  powers  were  directed 
toward  the  taking  possession,  the  settlement,  and  the 
colonization  of  the  temperate  and  tropical  parts  of  the 
American  continent.  In  those  efforts  Russia  seems 
to  have  taken  a  comparatively  small  part,  if  any  part 
at  all.  Her  enterprise  and  ambitions  w-ere  attracted 
to  these  northern  seas,  seas  which  border  upon  the 
coasts  which  in  part  she  already  possessed,  the  Siber- 
ian coast  of  Bering  Sea.  From  that,  coast  explora- 
tions were  made  by  enterprising  navigators  belonging 
to  that  nation,  until  the  whole  of  Bering  Sea  was  dis- 
covered, and  the  coasts  on  all  its  sides  explored.  The 
Aleutian  Islands,  forming  its  southern  boundary,  were 
discovered  and  explored,  and  a  part  of  what  is  called 
the  Northwest  Coast  of  the  American  Continent,  south 
of  the  Alaskan  Peninsula  and  reaching  south  as  far  as 
the  54th  or  50th  degree  of  north  latitude,  was  also  ex- 
plored by  Russian  navigators,  and  establishments  were 
formed  upon  it  in  certain  places.  The  great  object  of 
Russia  in  these  enterprises  and  explorations  was  to 
reap  for  Y^-^'.'Ai  the  sole  profit  and  the  sole  benefit 
which  coi  Id  ■  '  derived  from  these  remote  and  ice- 
bound reg  <  s,  namely,  that  of  the  fur-bearing  animals 
which  inha  ••ed  them,  and  which  were  gathered  by 


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178 


THE  GOLDEN  NORTH. 


the  native  inhabitants.  To  obtain  for  herself  the  bene- 
fit of  those  animals  and  of  the  trade  with  the  natives 
who  were  engaged  in  gathering  them  constituted  the 
main  object  of  the  original  enterprises  prosecuted  by 
Russian  navigators.  They  had  at  a  very  early  period 
discovered  v/hat  we  call  the  Commander  Islands  on  the 
western  side  of  Bering  Sea,  which  were  then,  as  they 
are  now,  one  of  the  principal  resorts  and  breeding 
places  of  the  fur  seals.  They  were  carrying  on  a  very 
large,  or  a  considerable,  industry  in  connection  with 
those  animals  upon  those  islands. 

Prior  to  the  year  1787,  one  of  their  navigators,  Cap- 
tain Pribilof,  had  observed  very  numerous  bodies  of 
fur  seals  making  their  way  northward  through  the 
Aleutian  chain.  Whither  they  were  going,  he  knew 
not,  but,  from  his  knowledge  of  the  habits  of  the  seals 
in  the  region  of  the  Commander  Islands,  he  could  not 
but  suppose  that  there  was,  somewhere  north  of  the 
Aleutian  chain  in  the  Bering  Sea,  another  great  breed- 
ing place  and  resort  for  these  animals.  He  therefore 
expended  much  labor  in  endeavoring  to  discover  these 
resorts,  and  in  the  year  1786,  on  one  of  h!S  voyages, 
!ie  suddenly  found  himself  in  the  presence  of  that  tre- 
mendous roar,  a  roar  almost  like  that  of  Niagara,  it  is 
said,  which  proceeds  from  the  countless  multitudes  of 
animals  upon  the  islands.  He  knew  then  that  the  ob- 
ject for  which  he  was  seeking  had  been  obtained ;  and 
,  waiting  until  the  fog  had  lifted,  he  discovered  before 
him  the  islands  to  which  his  name  was  afterwards 
given.  That  was  in  1786.  Immediately  following 
that  discovery  many  Russians,  sometimes  individually 
and  sometimes  associated  in  companies,  resorted  to 
those  islands,  which  were  uninhabited,  and  made  large 
captures  of  seals  from  them.  The  mode  of  taking 
them  was  by  an  indiscriminate  slaughter  of  males  and 
females;  and  of  course  it  was  not  long  before  the 
disastrous  eflFects  of  that  method  became  apparent. 
They  were  greatly  reduced  in  numbers,  and  at  one  or 
more  times  seemed  to  be  upon  the  point  almost  of 


THE  FUR-SEAL  CONTROVERSY. 


179 


commercial  extermination.  By  degrees,  those  engaged 
in  this  pursuit  learned  what  the  law;5  of  nature  were  in 
respect  to  the  preservation  of  such  a  race  of  animals. 
They  learned  that  they  were  highly  polygamous  in 
their  natu.2,  and  that  a  certain  draft  could  be  taken 
from  the  superfluous  males  without  sensibly  depre- 
ciating the  enormous  numbers  of  the  herd.  Learning 
those  facts,  they  gradually  established  an  industry  upon 
the  islands,  removed  a  considerable  number  of  the 
population  of  one  or  more  of  the  Aleutian  Islands,  and 
kept  them  permanently  there  for  the  purpose  of  guard- 
ing the  seals  upon  the  islands  and  taking,  at  the  suita- 
ble time  for  that  purpose,  such  a  number  of  super- 
fluous males  as  the  knowledge  they  had  acquired 
taught  them  could  be  safely  taken. 

Finally  the  system  which  they  established  grew  step 
by  step  more  regular  and  precise;  and  sometime  in 
the  neighborhood  of  1845  they  had  adopted  a  regular 
system  which  absolutely  forbade  the  slaughter  of  fe- 
males and  confined  the  taking  to  young  males  under 
certain  ages  and  to  a  certain  annual  number.  Under 
that  reasonable  system,  conforming  to  natural  laws, 
the  existence  of  the  herd  was  perpetuated  and  its  num- 
bers even  largely  increased;  so  that  at  a  time  when  it 
passed  into  the  possession  of  the  United  States,  it  was 
true  that  the  numbers  of  the  herd  were  then  equal  to,  if 
not  greater,  than  ever  had  been  known  since  the 
islands  were  first  discovered.  A  similar  system  had 
been  pursued  by  the  Russians  with  similar  effect  upon 
the  Commander  Islands,  possessions  of  their  own  on 
the  western  side  of  the  Bering  Sea. 

That  was  the  condition  of  things  when  these  islands 
passed  into  the  possession  of  the  United  States  under 
the  treaty  between  that  government  and  Russia,  in 
1867.  At  first,  upon  the  acquisition  by  the  United 
States  government,  its  authority  was  not  immediately 
established,  and  consequently  this  herd  of  seals  was 
exposed  to  the  indiscriminate  ravages  of  individuals 
who  might  be  tempted  hither  by  their  hope  of  gain- 


i8o 


THE  GOLDEN  NORTH. 


ing  a  profit;  and  the  result  was  that  in  the  first  year 
something  like  240,000  seals  were  taken,  and  although 
some  discrimination  was  attempted,  and  an  effort  was 
made  to  confine  the  taking,  as  far  as  possible,  to  males 
only,  yet  those  efforts  were  not  in  every  respect  suc- 
cessful. That  great  draft  thus  irregularly  and  indis- 
criminately made  upon  them  had  undoubtedly  a  very 
unfavorable  effect;  but  the  following  year  the  United 
States  succeeded  in  establishing  its  authority  and  at 
once  readopted  the  system  which  had  been  up  to  that 
time  pursued  by  Russia,  and  which  had  been  followed 
by  such  advantageous  results. 

In  addition  to  that,  and  for  the  purpose  of  further 
insuring  the  preservation  of  the  herd,  the  United  States 
Government  resorted  to  national  legislation.  Laws 
were  passed,  the  first  o'l  them  as  early  as  the  year  1870, 
designed  to  protect  the  seal  and  other  fur-bearing 
animals  in  Bering  Sea  and  the  other  possessions  re- 
cently acquired  from  Russia.  At  a  later  period,  this 
statute,  with  others  that  had  been  subsequently  passed, 
was  revised  in  the  year  1873,  when  a  general  revision 
of  the  statutes  of  the  United  States  was  made.  They 
were  revised  and  made  more  stringent.  It  was  made 
a  criminal  offense  to  kill  any  female  seal ;  and  the  tak- 
ing of  any  seals  at  all,  except  in  pursuance  of  the  au- 
thority of  tlie  United  States  and  under  such  regula- 
tions as  it  might  adopt,  was  made  a  criminal  offense. 
Any  vessel  engaged  in  the  taking  of  female  seals  in 
the  waters  of  Alaska,  according  to  the  phrase  used  in 
the  statute,  was  made  liable  to  seizure  and  confisca- 
tion; and  in  this  way  it  was  hoped  and  expected  that 
the  fur  seals  would  be  preserved  in  the  future  as  com- 
pletely as  they  had  been  in  the  past,  and  that  this  herd 
would  continue  to  be  still  as  productive  as  before,  and 
if  possible  made  more  productive.  That  system  thus 
initiated  by  the  United  States  in  the  year  1870  pro- 
duced the  same  result  as  had  followed  the  regulations 
established  by  Russia.  The  United  States  Govern- 
ment was  enabled  even  to  take  a  larger  draft  than 


■*"PiiwpwiP!>"f;!|w<>f<«w'^f<**>*!<^>^ 


THE  FUR-SEAL  CONTROVERSY. 


i8l 


Russia  had,  prior  to  that  time,  made  upon  the  herd. 
Russia  had  limited  herself  at  an  early  period  to  the 
taking  of  somewhere  between  30,000  and  40  xx>  seals 
annually,  not  solely,  perhaps,  for  the  reason  that  no 
more  could  be  safely  taken  from  the  herd,  but  also  for 
the  reason  that  at  that  time  the  demand  for  seals  was 
not  so  great  as  to  justify  the  putting  of  a  larger  num- 
ber of  skins  upon  the  market. 

At  a  later  period  of  the  occupation  by  Russia,  her 
drafts  were  increased.  At  the  time  when  the  occupa- 
tion was  transferred  to  the  United  States  they  amount- 
ed to  somewhere  between  50,000  and  70,000  annually. 
The  United  States  took  100,000  from  the  beginning, 
and  continued  to  make  those  annual  drafts  of  100,000 
down  to  the  year  1890.  That  is  a  period  of  something 
like  nineteen  years.  The  taking  of  this  number  of 
100,000  did  not  at  first  appear  to  lead  to  any  diminu- 
tion in  the  numbers  of  the  herd;  and  it  was  only  in 
the  year  1890,  or  a  few  years  prior  to  that  time,  that  a 
diminution  in  the  numbers  of  the  herd  was  first  ob- 
served. 

Such  was  the  industry  established  by  the  United 
States.  It  was  a  very  beneficial  industry,  beneficial, 
in  the  first  instance,  to  herself.  She  had  adopted  the 
practice  of  leasing  these  islands  upon  long  terms, 
twenty  years,  to  a  private  corporation;  and  those 
leases  contained  an  obligation  to  pay  a  large  annual 
sum  in  the  shape  of  a  revenue  tax  and  a  gross  sum  of 
some  $60,000  as  rent.  In  addition  to  that,  the  lessees 
were  required  by  the  terms  of  the  lease  to  pay  to  the 
United  States  Government  a  certain  sum  upon  every 
seal  captured  by  them,  which,  of  course,  resulted  in 
the  enjoyment  by  the  United  States  of  a  still  larger 
revenue.  It  was  beneficial  to  the  lessees,  for  it  is  to 
be  supposed,  and  such  is  the  fact,  that  they  were  en- 
abled to  make  a  profit,  notwithstanding  the  large 
sums  they  were  compelled  to  pay  to  the  United  :V  tes 
Government  upon  the  seal  skins  secured  by  them.  The 
whole  product  of  the  herd  was  contributed  at  once  to 


fk:- 


l82 


THE  GOLDEN  NORTH. 


IIHr 


commerce,  and  through  the  instrumentality  of  com- 
merce was  carried  all  over  the  world  to  those  who 
desired  the  sealskins,  and  those  who  desired  sealskins, 
wherever  they  might  be  on  the  face  of  the  globe,  and 
whatever  nation  they  might  inhabit,  got  them  upon 
the  same  terms  upon  which  the  citizens  of  the  United 
States  enjoyed  them.  This  contribution  of  the  annual 
product  to  the  purposes  of  commerce,  to  be  dealt  with 
as  commerce  deals  with  one  of  its  subjects,  of  course 
amounted  substantially  to  a  putting  it  up  at  auction, 
and  it  was  awarded  to  the  highest  bidder,  wherever  he 
might  dwell. 

The  effect  of  this  was,  also,  to  build  up  and  maintain 
an  important  industry  in  Great  Britain.  It  was  there 
that  the  sealskins  were  manufactured  and  prepared  for 
sale  in  the  market,  and  thousands  of  people  were  en- 
gaged in  that  industry,  many  more,  indeed,  than  were 
engaged  in  the  industry  of  gathering  the  seals  upon 
the  Pribilof  Islands.  That  particular  benefit  was  se- 
cured to  Great  Britain  in  consequence  of  this  industry. 

In  the  few  years  preceding  1890,  the  government  of 
the  United  States  was  made  aware  of  a  peril  to  the 
industry  which  had  thus  been  established  and  which 
it  was  in  the  enjoyment  of,  a  peril  to  the  preservation 
of  this  race  of  seals,  a  peril  not  proceeding  from  what 
may  be  called  natural  causes,  such  as  the  killing  by 
whales  and  other  animals  which  prey  upon  the  seals 
in  the  water,  but  a  peril  proceeding  froiri  the  hand  of 
man.  It  was  found  that  the  practice  of  pelagic  sealing, 
which  had  for  many  years,  and,  indeed,  from  the 
earliest  knowledge  of  these  regions,  been  carried  on 
to  a  very  limited  extent  by  the  Indians  who  inhabited 
the  coasts,  for  the  purpose  of  obtaining  food  for  them- 
selves and  skins  for  their  clothing,  and  which  had 
made  a  limited  draft  upon  the  herds  in  that  way — it 
was  found  that  this  practice  was  beginning  to  be  ex- 
tended so  as  to  be  carried  on  by  whites,  and  in  large 
vessels  capable  of  proceeding  long  distances  from  the 
shore,  of  encountering  the  roughest  weather,  and  of 


I 


THE  FUR-SEAL  CONTROVERSY. 


183 


carrying  boats  and  boatmen  and  hunters,  armed  with 
every  appliance  for  taking  and  slaughtering  the  seals 
upon  their  passage  through  the  seas.  That  practice 
began  in  the  year  1876,  but  at  first  its  extent  was  small. 
The  vessels  were  fitted  out  mostly  from  a  port  in 
British  Columbia,  and  confined  their  enterprise  to  the 
North  Pacific  Ocean,  not  entering  Bering  Sea  at  all; 
and  their  drafts  upon  the  seals  even  in  the  North 
Pacific  Ocean  were  at  first  extremely  small,  only  a 
few  thousands  each  year.  But  the  business  was  found 
to  be  a  profitable  one,  and,  of  course,  as  it.«  profit  was 
perceived,  more  and  more  were  tempted  to  engage  in 
it,  and  a  larger  and  larger  investment  of  capital  was 
made  in  it.  More  and  more  vessels  prosecuted  the 
fishery  in  the  North  Pacific  Ocean,  and  in  1883,  for 
the  first  time,  a  vessel  ventured  to  enter  Bering  Sea. 

Up  to  this  time,  during  the  whole  of  the  Russian 
and  the  whole  of  the  American  occupation  of  these 
islands,  there  had  been  no  such  thing  as  pelagic  seal- 
ing, except  in  the  insignificant  way  already  mentioned 
by  the  Indians.  Those  two  nations  had  enjoyed  the 
full  benefit  of  this  property,  the  full  benefit  of  these 
herds  of  seals,  in  as  complete  a  degree  as  if  they  had 
been  organized  as  the  sole  proprietors  of  them,  and 
as  if  a  title  in  them,  not  only  while  they  were  ashore  and 
upon  the  breeding  islands,  but  while  they  were  absent 
upon  their  migrations,  had  been  recognized  in  them 
during  that  whole  period,  or  as  if  there  had  been  some 
regulation  among  the  nations  absolutely  prohibiting 
all  pelagic  sealing.  Up  to  the  period  when  pelagic 
sealing  began  to  be  extended,  those  advantages  were 
exclusively  enjoyed  by  Russia  and  the  United  States; 
and  at  first,  this  pelagic  sealing  did  not  extend  into 
Bering  Sea,  but  was  carried  on  in  the  North  Pacific 
Ocean  and  south  and  east  of  the  Aleutian  chain. 

Why  Bering  Sea  was  thus  carefully  abstained  from 
it  may,  perhaps,  be  difficult  to  say.  It  may  be  for  the 
reason  that  it  was  farther  ofT,  more  difficult  to  reach. 
It  may  be  for  the  reason  that  the  pelagic  sealers  did  not 


184 


THS  GOLDEN  NORTH. 


at  first  suppose  that  they  had  a  right  to  enter  Bering 
Sea  and  take  the  seals  there,  for  it  was  well  known 
that  during  the  whole  of  the  Russian  occupation  Rus- 
sia did  assert  for  herself  an  exclusive  right  to  all  the 
products  of  that  region  of  the  globe;  and  it  was  also, 
of  course,  well  known  to  all  governments,  and  to  these 
pelagic  sealers,  that  the  United  States  had,  when  they 
acceded  to  the  sovereignty  over  these  islands,  asserted 
a  similar  right,  and  made  the  practice  of  pelagic  seal- 
ing, in  Bering  Sea  at  least — perhaps  farther,  but  in 
Bei'.ng  Sea,  at  least — a  criminal  offense  under  their 
law.  ^ut  from  whatever  cause,  it  was  not  until  the 
year  1883  that  any  pelagic  sealers  ventured  into  Bering 
Sea.  During  that  year  a  single  vessel  did  enter  there, 
took  a  large  catch,  was  very  successful  and  was  not 
called  to  any  account;  and  this  successful  experiment 
was,  of  course,  followed  during  the  succeeding  years 
by  many  repetitions  of  the  same  enterprise. 

The  extent  to  which  pelagic  sealing  was  thus  carried 
on  in  Bering  Sea,  its  probable  consequences  upon  the 
herds  which  made  their  homes  upon  the  Pribilof 
Islands,  was  not  at  first  appreciated  either  by  the 
United  States  or  by  the  lessees  of  the  islands.  There 
was  no  means  by  which  they  could  easily  find  out  how 
many  vessels  made  such  excursions,  and  they  did  not 
at  first  seem  to  suppose  that  their  interests  were  par- 
ticularly threatened  by  it.  Consequently,  for  the  first 
two  or  three  years,  no  notice  seems  to  have  been  taken 
of  these  enterprises  by  the  government  of  the  United 
States,  although  it  had  laws  made  against  them.  But 
in  1886,  this  practice  of  taking  seals  at  sea  became  so 
largely  extended  that  it  excited  apprehensions  for  the 
safety  of  the  h^rd,  and  it  was  perhaps  thought  at  that 
time  that  there  was  already  observable  in  the  condition 
of  the  herd  some  damaging,  destructive  consequence 
of  that  pursuit  of  them  by  sea. 

The  attention  of  the  United  States  having  been 
called  to  the  practice,  that  government  determined  to 
prevent  it,  and  the  first  method  to  which  it  resorted 


THE  FUR-SEAL  C©NTROVER5Y. 


185 


was  an  enforcement  of  the  laws  upon  her  statute  book 
which  prohibited  the  practice,  and  subjected  all  vessels 
engaged  in  it  to  seizure  and  confiscation.  Instructions 
were  accordingly  given  to  the  cruisers  of  the  United 
States  to  suppress  the  practice  and  to  enforce  its  laws. 
The  result  was  that  in  the  year  1886,  three  British 
vessels  and  some  American  vessels  were  taken  while 
engaged  in  the  pursuit  illegally  under  the  laws  of  the 
United  States.    They  were  carried  in  and  condemned. 

These  seizures,  after  much  diplomatic  correspond- 
ence, led  to  the  final  adoption  of  a  treaty  between  the 
United  States  and  Great  Britain,  which  was  signed  at 
Washington,  February  29,  1892. 

The  arbitrators  under  this  treaty,  How.  John  M.  Har- 
lan and  Hon.  John  T.  Morgan,  representing  the  United 
States;  Baron  Alphonse  de  Courcel,  arbitrator  named 
by  France ;  the  Right  Hon.  Lord  Hannen  and  Sir  John 
Thompson,  representing  Great  Britain;  Marquis  E. 
Visconti  Venosta,  arbitrator  named  by  Italy,  and  Mr. 
Gregers  Gram,  arbitrator  named  by  Sweden  and  Nor- 
way, met  at  Paris  on  February  23,  1893,  and  were  in 
session  until  August  15,  1893.  The  public  is  familiar 
with  the  terms  of  their  award,  which  were  not  only 
satisfactory  to  this  country,  but  practically  a  final  set- 
tlement of  the  controversy. 

Since  1893,  efforts  have  been  made  by  the  United 
States  for  the  further  prevention  of  pelagic  sealing  and 
the  protection  of  the  fur-seal  fisheries.  With  this  end 
in  view,  Hon.  John  W.  Foster  was  sent  as  agent  to 
England  to  secure  the  adoption  of  a  modus  vivendi 
prohibiting  all  sealing  until  a  final  disposition  of  the 
question  can  be  had  and  a  treaty  can  be  entered  into 
establishing  further  regulations  for  the  government  of 
the  fisheries.  At  this  writing  no  official  data  of  the 
results  of  this  mission  can  be  had,  the  agent  not  having 
as  yet  submitted  his  report. 

As  a  further  result  of  the  arbitration  of  1893,  a  con- 
vention was  concluded  between  the  United  States  and 
Great  Britain.  February  8,  1806,  for  the  settlement  of 

18 


!     ! 


k 


i86 


tHE  GOLDEN  NORTH. 


the  claims  of  British  subjects  growing  out  of  the  seiz- 
ures of  British  vessels  in  Bering  Sea  from  1886  to  1892, 
which  provided  for  the  appointment  of  two  commis- 
sioners, and,  if  necessary,  an  umpire.  This  commis- 
sion was  to  sit  at  Victoria,  British  Columbia,  and  San 
Francisco,  Cal.  Sessions  have  been  held  in  both 
places,  but  as  yet  the  results  of  their  labors  have  not 
been  made  public. 


SALMON.  WHALE,  COD.  HBRRINO. 


187 


CHAPTER  XXVIL 

SALMON.  WHALB,  GOD  AND  HBRUINQ. 

Extent  of  the  Alaskan  flsherles^StatistlcB  of  the  salmon 
catch— Product  of  oil.  bone  and  ivory— God  and  herring 
fisheries. 

The  products  of  the  sea,  the  lakes  and  the  rivers  are 
the  chief  resources  of  Alaska.  The  native  populations 
have  always  obtained  much  of  their  food  supply  from 
the  waters,  and  in  a  less  degree  their  clothing  and 
many  of  the  conveniences  of  life.  Their  winter  supply 
of  food  is  still  largely  made  up  of  dried  fish,  seaweed, 
and  fish  eggs,  while  fresh  fish  are  eaten  at  all  seasons 
of  the  year,  not  only  by  the  natives,  but  by  all  classes 
of  people,  and  the  abundance  of  this  product  insures 
the  most  thriftless  of  a  ready  means  of  subsistence. 

♦Salmon  fishing  is  by  far  the  largest  and  most  im- 
portant industry.  Thirty-seven  canneries  and  seven  or 
more  salting  establishments  were  reported  as  in  oper- 
ation in  1890.  The  aggregate  pack  of  the  canneries 
was  688,332  cases  of  four  dozen  one-pound  cans,  falling 
a  little  short  of  the  pack  in  1889.  The  amount  of 
salted  salmon  was  about  7,300  barrels,  a  little  more 
than  the  year  previous.  The  salmon  fisheries  repre- 
sent a  capital  of  about  $4,250,000,  and  they  give  em- 
ployment to  about  2,000  white  laborers,  2,500  China- 
men, and  1,000  natives,  and  require  in  their  business 
for  transportation,  and  in  their  work,  about  100  steam 
vessels  and  500  fishing  boats.  The  white  and  Chinese 
laborers  do  not  usually  remain  in  the  territory  after 
the  season  is  over. 

The  report  for  1895  of  Mr.  Joseph  Murray,  special 
agent  to  inspect  the  fisheries   of  Alaska,    says   that 


*  Joseph  P.  Smith.  Director  Bureau  American  Republics. 


I 


l88  THE  GOLDEN  NORTH. 

during  the  year  nearly  7,000,000  cases,  of  48  pounds 
to  the  case,  were  packed,  and  the  total  value  of  the 
salmon  canned  was  over  $2,000,000. 

"The  whaling  busin'ess,"  says  Mr.  Lyman  E.  Knapp^ 
governor  of  Alaska,  in  his  report  for  1892,  "in  which 
forty-eight  vessels  are  engaged,  resulted  in  a  catch  for 
1891  of  12,228  barrels  of  oil,  186,250  pounds  of  bone, 
and  1,000  pounds  of  ivory.  The  total  value  was 
$1,218,293.  Below  is  a  comparative  statement  of  the 
amount  of  oil,  bone  and  ivory  taken  during  the  last 
eighteen  years: 

Year.                 Oil.           Bone.  Ivory. 

Barrels.  Pounds.  Pounds. 

1891  12,228  186,250  1,000 

1890   14,890  231,232  4,150 

1889  12,834  231,981  1,506 

1888  15,774  303.587  1,550 

1887   31,714  564,802  875 

1886 37»26o  304,530  2,850 

1885  24,844  451,038  6,564 

1S84  . .  20,373  295,700  5,421 

1883   12,300  160,200  23,IO») 

1882 21,100  316,600  17,800 

1881   21,800  354,500  15,400 

1880 23,200  339,000  15,300 

1879  17,400  127,000  32,900 

1878  9,000         73,300  30,000 

1877    I3,SM3  139,600  74,000 

1876    2,800  8,800  7,000 

1875    16,300  157,000  25,400 

1874  10,000         86,000         7,000 

Total,  18  years 318,917     4,93i,95o      272,410 

The  codfish  business  is  next  in  importance  in  Alaska. 
It  is  carried  on  at  the  Shumagin  Islands  and  in  the 
Bering  Sea.  The  catch  of  1890  amounted  to  a  total 
of  1,138,000  fish.    Since  the  beginning  of  the  codfish- 


SALMON.  WHALE,  COD,  HERRING. 


189 


ing  industry  in  this  territory  in  1865  the  total  number 
of  fish  taken  is  25,723,^00,  of  the  value  of  $12,861,650. 
The  first  four  years,  the  business  did  not  come  near  to 
its  present  proportions. 

A  hasty  survey  has  given  an  idea  of  the  extent  of 
the  banks,  and  there  is  much  yet  to  be  done  to  properlx 
define  their  limits  and  determine  their  character.  Port- 
lock  Bank,  extending  northeasterly  from  Kadiak,  has 
an  immense  area;  Shumagin  Bank,  south  of  the  Shu- 
magin  group  of  islands,  has  an  area  of  about  4,400 
square  miles;  Albatross  Bank,  off  the  southeastern 
side  of  Kadiak,  has  an  area  of  2,900  square  miles ;  Slime 
Bank,  north  of  Unimak  Island,  in  Bering  Sea,  covers 
an  area  of  1,445  square  miles,  embracing  depths  of 
twenty  to  fifty  fathoms;  Baird  Bank  stretches  along 
the  north  coast  of  A'  Va  Peninsula  230  miles,  with 
an  average  width  of  (ow  miles,  covering  an  area  of 
9,200  square  miles.  T'lt  depths  range  from  fifteen  to 
fifty  fathoms,  with  ^   )Ottc..n  of  fine  gray  sand. 

The  business  of  the  Ala  ka  Oil  and  Guano  Company, 
at  KilHsnoo,  gives  erriployment  to  forty-five  white 
men,  fifty  Indians,  and  f.  few  Chinamen.  Their  princi- 
pal business  is  fishiiig,  and  the  manufacture  of  oil  and 
fish  fertilizer,  though  they  also  Inve  a  trading  post. 
Their  capital  stock  is  $75,000.  They  have  a  fishing 
fleet  of  three  steamers,  four  scows  and  two  small  boats. 
The  product  of  their  factory  in  1891  was  larger  than 
in  1890,  being  300,000  gallons  of  oil  instead  of  157,000 
reported  the  previous  year.  They  also  put  up  700 
barrels  of  salt  salmon,  and  manufactured  800  tons  of 
guano.  The  value  of  the  product  was  not  less  than 
$114,000.  The  oil  is  worth  about  thirty  cents  per  gal- 
lon and  the  guano  about  $30  pei  ton. 

The  fish  used  for  the  manufacture  of  oil  is  the  her- 
ring, which  is  very  abundant,  very  rich  in  oil,  and 
finely  flavored.  It  is  much  used  as  a  food-fish,  and 
also  as  bait  in  taking  halibut  and  other  large  fish.  It 
is  caught  by  the  natives  for  their  own  use  with  a  stick, 
toward  the  end  of  Which  are  inserted  several  sharpened 


190 


THE  GOLDEN  NORTH. 


spikes.  They  dip  the  stick  in  the  water,  catch  one  or 
more  herring,  and  with  a  single  motion  land  the  fish 
in  the  canoe,  and  then  thrust  the  stick  into  the  water 
again.  In  this  way  they  take  immense  quantities  in  a 
short  time.  These  fish  frequent  the  still  waters  of  bays 
and  inlets  by  the  -million,  at  different  places,  and  in 
varying  seasons  of  the  year,  from  August  to  February. 
Halibut  abounds  throughout  central,  southern,  and 
western  Alaska,  and  can  be  taken  at  any  time  during 
the  year.  They  vary  in  size  from  15  to  250  pounds 
each,  those  weighing  from  fifty  to  seventy-five  pounds 
being  preferred.  It  is  not  uncommon,  says  Governor 
Knapp,  of  Alaska,  for  Sitka  Indians  to  visit  Silver  Bay 
or  the  vicinity  of  Mount  Edgecombe  and  return  the 
following  day  with  nearly  a  ton  of  these  fish.  White- 
fish,  losh,  and  graylings  are  found  in  large  quantities 
in  the  Yukon,  and  afford  more  food  for  the  natives 
than  the  salmon.  Black  bass  are  abundant  in  south- 
eastern Alaska,  and  trout  and  pike  inhabit  almost  all 
the  rivers. 


COMMERCE.  GOVERNMENT,  ETC. 


191 


CHAPTER  XXVIII. 

COMMERCE,  GOVERNMENT,  TRANSPORTATION. 

Traneportation  facilities— Exports  and  imports— Territorial 
government — iThe  civil  list  of  Alaska. 

Correct  statistics  as  to  the  trade  of  Alaska  are  not 
easily  obtained,  and  this  is  largely  due  to  the  various 
and  uncertain  transportation  facilities.  *The  large 
companies  engaged  in  business  in  the  territory  usually 
employ  their  own  ships.  There  were  some  eighty- 
seven  trading  houses  reported  in  Alaska  in  1891,  lo- 
cated in  not  less  than  sixty  towns  and  villages,  and 
scattered  from  Point  Barrow  to  the  southern  extrem- 
ity, and  from  Loring  to  Attu.  The  number  of  stores  for 
the  sale  of  general  merchandise  in  southeastern  Alaska 
in  1892  was  forty-seven.  The  imports  consist  of  mer- 
chandise, machinery,  powder,  clothing,  provisions, 
tools,  furniture,  etc.  The  .exports  are  made  .up  of  fish, 
furs,  whalebone,  ivory,  oils,  gold  and  silver  bullion 
and  ores.  The  total  imports  in  1892,  according  to  the 
report  of  Governor  Knapp,  of  Alaska,  amounted  to 
the  value  of  $2,164,238. 

Exports. 

Furs,  curios,  etc.  from  13  stations,  south- 
east Alaska $  351,000 

1,220,000  codfish  (7,500  tons) 375^000 

789,294  cases  of  salmon 3>i57>i76 

9,000  barrels  of  salted  salmon 8i,ck:x) 

186,250  pounds  of  whalebone .  1,210,625 

1,000  pounds  ivory 5,ooo 

12,228  barrels  whale  oil  103,668 


•Joseph  P.  Smith,  Director  Bureau  American  Republics. 


mm 


6      ■'ilW'i: 


Mil 
i 
I 


lii 


192  THE  GOLDEN  NORTH. 

Product  of  the  Killisnoo  manufactory,  oil 
and  guano 1 14,000 

Gold  bullion,  Alaska  Treadwell  Gold  Min- 
ing Company    707,017 

Gold  and  silver  ore  and  bullion  by  other 
companies   . - 400,000 

13,500  seal  skins  taken  under  the  lease; 
52,087  seal  skins  taken  by  sealing  fleet ; 
10,000  seal  skins  taken  by  natives  and 
others  755*5^7 

Furs    shipped    by    Alaska    Commercial 

Company 348,991 

Furs  shipped  by  other  parties,  western 
Alaska 90,000 

Other  products  not  enumerated    60,000 

Total $7,759,064 

Balance  of  exports  above  imports $5,594,886 

Among  the  furs  may  be  mentioned  those  of  the  sea 
otter,  the  seal,  the  beaver,  the  silver  and  blue  fox,  the 
mink,  and  the  marten. 

Governor  Knapp,  in  his  report  for  1892,  says:  "The 
mail  contract  with  the  Paciftc  Coast  Steamship  Com- 
pany requires  stoppage  for  receipt  and  delivery  of  mail 
by  their  regular  passenger  and  freight  steamers,  two 
each  month,  at  seven  ports,  viz:  Kichkan,  in  Tongass 
Narrows,  Loring,  Wrangel,  Douglas,  Juneau,  Killis- 
noo and  Sitka.  For  this  service  they  are  paid  the  sum 
of  $18,000  per  year.  When  other  trips  are  made  and 
other  places  are  visited  by  the  steamers  of  the  com- 
pany, mails  are  carried  and  delivered  wherever  they 
caU,  By  this  more  uncertain  service,  several  mails 
have  been  delivered  at  Metlakahtla,  Mary  Island,  Chil- 
cat  and  Hoonah,  and  the  mail  has  been  carried  weekly 
instead  of  semi-monthly  to  the  first  named  places  dur- 
ing the  months  of  Juqe,  July  and  August.  Another 
mail  contract  insures  monthly  mail  service  from 
Wrangel  to  Klawak  and  Howkan.    A  small  steamer, 


"^"^Kimimf^m^im 


COMMERCE,  GOVERNMENT,  ETC. 


193 


or  steam  launch,  plies  between  Wrangel  and  Howkan. 
Between  Sitka  and  Unalaska,  a  distance  of  about  1,350 
miles,  a  small  steamer  has  made  seven  regular  monthly 
trips,  from  April  to  October,  stopping  at  six  places. 

In  Special  Consular  Reports  on  "Highways  of  Com- 
merce, 1895,"  it  is  stated  that  the  fare  from  San  Fran- 
cisco to  Wrangel,  by  the  Pacific  Coast  Steamship  Com- 
pany, is  $50;  to  Juneau  or  Sitka,  $70.  There  is  also 
steamship  service  from  St.  Michael's  via  Unalaska  to 
Seattle  and  San  Francisco. 

The  report  of  the  Second  Assistant  Postmaster-Gen- 
eral of  the  United  States  for  1896  says  that  a  post- 
office  was  authorized  at  Circle  City  March  19,  1896. 
The  carrier  for  the  first  trip  started  from  Juneau  June 
nth,  and  reached  Circle  City  July  14th,  carrying  1,474 
letters.  He  returned  by  way  of  St.  Michael,  reaching 
Seattle  Auguct  19th.  On  the  second  trip,  the  carrier 
left  Juneau  July  8th,  reaching  Circle  City  August  6th. 
Another  trip  was  maae  in  September,  and  four  be- 
tween November  and  May,  1897. 

In  1886,  in  reply  to  an  inquiry  on  the  part  of  the 
United  States  Senate,  the  director  of  thf  United  States 
Geological  Survey,  J.  W,  Powell,  presented  a  report 
on  the  feasibility  of  constructing  a  railroad  between 
the  United  States,  Asiatic  Russia,  and  Japan.  Mr. 
Powell  said  that  from  all  available  information  the  pro- 
posed line  appeared  to  present  no  greater  obstacles 
than  those  already  overcome  in  transcontinental  rail- 
road building.  It  was  suggested  that  the  line  start 
from  some  point  on  the  Northern  Pacific  Railroad  in 
Montana,  and  run,  via  the  head  waters  of  the  Peace 
River,  to  the  head  w.vters  of  the  Yukon;  and  thence 
to  some  point  on  the  .hore  of  Bering  Sea,  the  total 
distance  covered  being  about  2,765  miles.  A  branch 
line  of  375  miles  from  the  head  waters  of  tiie  Peace 
River  might  run  to  the  mouth  of  the  Stikine  River, 
so  as  to  facilitate  communication  with  Sitka. 

There  is  not  much  of  special  interest  in  the  gov- 
ernment of  Alaska.    In  1884  a  district  government  was 


194 


THE  GOLDEN  NORTH. 


'     i 


created,  with  a  governor  and  district  court,  w^-.ich  sits 
alternately  at  Sitka  and  Wrangel.  The  laws  are  prin- 
cipally those  of  Oregon.  There  is  a  land  office  at  Sitka. 
Commissioner  Hermann,  of  the  United  States  General 
Land  Office,  on  July  31,  1897,  stated  that  the  mineral- 
land  laws  of  the  United  States,  the  town-site  laws  (pro- 
viding for  the  incorporation  of  town  sites  and  acquire- 
ment of  title  thereto  from  the  government  to  the 
trustee),  and  the  law  giving  each  qualified  person  160 
acres  of  land  in  a  square  and  compact  form,  are  ap- 
plicable to  Alaska.  The  coal-land  regulations  and  the 
pubUc-land  laws  do  not  extend  to  Alaska,  as  the  ter- 
ritory is  expressly  excluded  by  the  laws  tliemselves 
from  their  operation. 

The  following  is  a  list  of  United  States  officers  in 
Alaska,  furnished  by  the  Department  of  the  Interior, 
August  7,  1897: 

John  G.  Brady,  governor,  Sitka. 

Albert  D.  Elliot,  clerk  of  the  court,  and  ex-officio 
secretary  of  Alaska,  Sitka. 

William  L,  Distin,  surveyor-general,  Sitka. 

John  W.  Dudley,  register  of  the  land  office,  Sitka. 

Russell  Shelly,  receiver  of  public  moneys,  Sitka. 

Caldwt  1  W.  Tuttle,  commissioner  at  Sitka. 

Kenneth  M.  Jackson,  commissioner  at  Wrangel. 

Lycurgus  R.  Woodward,  commissioner  at  Unalaska. 

John  Y.  Ostrander,  commissioner  at  Juneau  City. 

Phillip  Gallaher,  commissioner  at  Kadiak. 

John  E.  Crane,  commissioner  at  Circle  City. 

L.  P.  Shepard,  commissioner  at  St.  Michaels. 

John  U.  Smith,  commissioner  at  Dyea. 

Charles  H.  Isham,  commissioner  at  Unga. 

The  following  is  a  list  of  the  judicial  officers  of  the 
United  States  in  Alaska,  furnished  by  the  Department 
of  Justice,  August  7,  1897: 

Charles  S.  Johnson,  district  judge,  Sitka. 

Burton  E.  Bennett,  United  States  attorney,  Sitka. 

Alfred  J.  Daly,  assistant  United  States  attorney, 
Sitka. 

James  M.  Shoup,  Unxied  States  marshal,  Sitka. 


hilfi     f- 


RESOURCES  OF  HUDSON'S  BAJf. 


CHAPTER  XXIX. 

RESOURCES  OF  HUDSON'S  BAY. 

Mountains  of  pure  mica— The  salmon  fisheries  of  Ungava — 
The  Eskimos  and  their  language— Extracts  from  prayer 
and  hym^  books — On  to  Churchill. 

The  reader  is  invited  to  accompany  the  writer  on  a 
voyage  from  the  Atlantic  Coast  through  Hudson  Strait 
and  Bay,  in  order  to  study  the  natural  features,  re- 
sources and  native  populations  of  that  wonderful  re- 
gion. These  observations  are  based  on  the  travels  of 
the  author  during  1884,  in  his  capacity  as  meteorologi- 
cal observer  of  the  Canadian  government  expedition 
sent  out  to  enquire  into  the  practicability  of  the  navi- 
gation of  those  waters  in  connection  with  a  proposed 
transcontinental  railway  line  from  Churchill  to  Port 
Simpson  through  the  Pine  River  Pass.  The  journey 
covering  the  country  between  the  two  points  named 
had  been  previously  made. 

Our  good  steamship  Neptune  is  "laying  to"  ofi 
Resolution  Island,  waiting  for  the  fog  to  lift,  so  that 
her  weatherbeaten  commander,  Commodore  Sopp,  of 
the  Liverpool  Job  Brothers  fleet,  can  see  his  way  to 
round  Cape  Chidley  and  enter  Hudson's  strait. 

We  have  passed  through  Belle  Isle,  and  made  the 
acquaintance  of  a  score  or  more  of  mighty  icebergs 
which  are  going  down  from  the  Arctic  rock  mountains 
to  be  dissolved  in  tropical  seas.  We  have  traversed 
700  miles  of  rugged  Labrador  coast,  paid  a  visit  to 
Nain,  the  capital  of  the  Moravian  mission  stations, 
called  at  Nachvak,  the  first  of  the  Hudson's  Bay  trading 
posts,  and  are  now  ready  to  make  the  voyage  through 
the  strait  and  across  the  bay  to  Churchill  harbor, 
which  lies  in  the  shadow  of  the  big  stone  fortress 
abandoned  by  Hearne  about  1782. 


If 

iii 


,ii' 

'iii!i 


mm 


! 


196 


THE  GOLDEN  NORTH. 


At  Nain  we  were  introduced  to  a  village  of  500  civi- 
lized and  educated  Eskimos.  They  live  in  neatly  built 
thatched  roof  log  houses.  Nearly  a  century  and  a  half 
ago,  when  these  Moravian  missions  and  trading  sta- 
tions were  established,  there  was  but  little  vegetation 
and  no  timber  in  the  neighborhood,  but  both  hpve 
come  to  them  since.  Now  they  "switch"  down  Ironi 
the  hillsides,  by  means   of  husky   dogs,  logs  ten    to 

twelve  inches  in  di- 


8 

<l 


P     V 

t     u 

k      9 


n 


<^   % 


ameter  and  from 
fifteen  to  twenty 
feet  long.  It  was 
there  that  we  got 
our  first  lesson  on 
the  phenomenon  of 
the  march  of  soil, 
vegetation  and  tim- 
ber to  the  north, 
and  we  were  able 
to  enlarge  on  this 
at  Nachvak. 

At  Nain  we 
learned  the  rudi- 
ments of  the  Eski- 
mo language,  and 
now  all  we  need  is 
practice  to  make 
ourselves  perfect  in 
its  oral  and  written 
use.  These  natives 
have  the  old  and  new  testaments  and  numbers  i  and 
2  of  Sankey's  Hymns,  translated  and  printed  in  their 
own  language.  They  have  a  church,  and  in  it  a 
harpischord,  after  the  pattern  of  our  old-style  me- 
lodeon,  which  was  brought  from  Germany  nearly  a 
century  ago,  but  is  yet  in  fair  condition.  They  are  fond 
of  music  and  have  a  trained  violin  orchestra. 

Do  you  ask  why  these  people  are  not  taught  a  lan- 
guage other  than  their  own  ?    That  has  been  found  an 


<    « 


tSUMO  inUBABIOlL 


RESOURCES  OF  HUDSON'S  BAY. 


197 


impossible  thing  to  do.  They  consider  the  attempt  to 
speak  another  language  "the  unpardonable  sin."  But 
we  can  only  speak  of  these  strange  i)eople  as  a  memory 
now.  Here  is  a  leaf  from  one  of 'their  hymn  books 
containing  a  portion  of  the  familiar  hymns,  "Knock- 
ing, knocking,"  and  "Safe  in  the  arms  of  Jesus." 

But  we  must  hurry  forward.  The  fog  has  lifted  and 
our  good  ship  has  rounded  the  cape,  entered  Hudson's 
Strait,  and  paid  a  visit  to  Ungava  Bay.  Here  we  in- 
spected a  mountain  of  pure  mica,  from  the  summit  of 
which  were  torn  with  our  own  hands  sheets  large 
enough  to  carpet  an  ordinary  parlor.  It  is  the  purest 
of  mica,  faultlessly  transparent,  and  abounds  in  quanti- 
ties sufficient  to  supply  the  mica  demands  of  the  world. 

In  Ungava  we  met  the  refrigerator  steamership 
Diana  on   her  way 

bl>cr<  bee-  AV^fV  LeK^c^oouT  «<Va 
PcfiT  tXoT  A*k<ns»*  JoVAPnd*. 

e>fc><.ji»a.'«5<5lo«  Ano.<  AH-ndc-  A- 
aV<<^>.  ae-bo*  AQ^Ov^^  <a.a* 
^->  APb«<r  AVb*P>J^  ^r*. 


from  Ungava  River 
to  England  with 
a  full  load  of 
salmon,  taken  in 
one  tide,  by  means 
of  a  trap.  This  in- 
cident, and  the 
mountain  of  mica, 
constitute  the  two 
first  hints  on  the  re- 
sourcesofthe  *"  **"»'■ 

north. 

But  we  must  be  away.  Not,  however,  until  we  have 
paid  a  short  visit  to  the  Eskimos  on  the  south  shore 
of  Hudson's  Strait.  Here  the  natives  have  not  been  dis- 
turbed by  civilization,  and  they  do  not  meet  with  even 
Hudson's  Bay  traders  oftener  than  once  in  three  to  five 
years.  They  are-  a  greasy,  dirty,  happy-go-lucky  set, 
living  for  the  most  part  on  the  blubber  of  the  seal,  and 
on  wild  fowl,  which  abounds  in  great  plenty,  cooking 
all  their  food  thoroughly,  except  the  fat  of  the  seal, 
thus  giving  contradiction  to  much  that  has  been  falsely 
written  about  them  in  this  respect.    Seal  oil,  with  lichen 


198  THE  GOLDEN  NORTH. 

moss  for  a  wick,  supplies  their  stone  lamps,  and  they 
are  seldom  short  of  this  fuel. 

There  is  no  soil  on  cither  side  of  Hudson's  Strait. 
The  rocks  are  bare  except  as  covered  by  patches  of 
lichen  moss,  upon  which  great  droves  of  cariboo  or 

reindeer      feed     to 


•!-iS 


'111! 


their     heart's     con- 
tent.     The    natives 
dwell     in     reindeer 
skin     tents,     which 
are     easily     moved 
from  place  to  place. 
We    enter    Hud- 
son's Bay  from  the 
straits    at   the    sun- 
rise of  a  bright,  still 
morning,    with    the 
Diggs     Islands    on 
our   right    and   the 
mighty   Cape   Wol- 
stenholme    on    our 
left.  From  the  form- 
er, Henry  Hudson 
and    his    son    were 
set  adrift  in  a  jolly 
boat  by  a  mutinous 
crew,    never    to   be 
heard    from    more ; 
-     and  from  the  sum- 
mit   of    the    latter, 
3,000  feet  above  the 
water,    streams    are 
pouring  down  from 
a     crown     o'     per- 
petual snow  end  ice. 
A  few  days  and  nights  bring  us  to  Fort  Churchill; 
and  now  we  must  take  time  to  go  to  the  Rose  Welcome 
whaMng  ground,  to  the  north,  and  to  visit  York  Fac- 
tory far  to  the  south,  at  the  mouth  of  the  Hayes  and 
Nelson  rivers. 


45.  A>A?ne*  ^'^^^ns 


40.A'^A7no*  /•vTT^ 

|VrVMVV3ir, 
1</Ltrt\r 

nSKnoi  "nooxam,  surooB* 
i«flt''iMi.— Bsma 


■HHiii 


•'fs^t^tr     «»;W«j.),|»p»7- nw/r-   -  K1X.        ••  ,'»^''?.^'WfW^»^?^  »^T1Jf5;^ 


IN  HUDSON'S  STRAIT. 


199 


CHAPTER  XXX. 


IN  HUDSON'S  STRAIT. 

Its  length,  width  and  islands— Height  of  its  tides,  and  ye* 
loclty  of  its  tidal  currents — Talks  with  Eskimos. 

Before  going  up  to  Rose  Welcome,  where  we  will 
enjoy  the  excitement  of  seeing  a  whale  taken,  let  us 
make  some  observations  on  Hudson's  Strait,  through 
which  we  have  passed.  From  Cape  Chidley  to  Cape 
Best,  on  Resolution  Island,  at  the  entrance  to  ♦^he 
strait,  the  channel  is  forty-five  miles  wide.  The  nar- 
rowest channel  of  the  strait  is  at  its  western  extemity, 
wiere  between  Cape  Wolstenholme  and  the  south 
shore  of  Nottingharh  Island,  the  channel  is  not  more 
than  thirty-five  miles  wide.  The  tides  in  the  strait  rise 
and  fall  from  fifteen  to  thirty-five  feet,  and  the  tide  race 
runs  at  from  four  to  ten  miles  an  hour,  at  half  tide, 
according  to  location. 

Its  principal  islands  are  Resolution  on  the  north  of 
the  entrance  from  the  moi  h  of  Davis'  Strait;  Big 
Island  on  the  north  side  of  the  strait,  close  to  the  main- 
land, called  North  BluflF;  Charles  Island,  about  fifteen 
miles  from  its  south  shore,  and  about  the  same  distance 
northwest  of  Cape  Weggs ;  Salisbury,  about  forty  miles 
from  the  north-main  coast,  with  Mills  Island  twelve 
miles  to  the  northwest  of  it,  both  at  the  mouth  of  Fox 
Channel;  and  Nottingham,  near  the  center  of  the 
strait  at  the  entrance  to  Hudson's  Bay. 

The  smaller  or  group  islands  are  the  Buttons,  about 
five  miles  north  of  Cape  Chidley;  Lower  Savages, 
northwest  of  Resolution,  and  between  it  and  the  north- 
main  shore;  the  Middle  Savages  and  Saddle  Backs, 
lying  close  to  the  north  main  coast,  about  sixty  miles 
northwest  of  the  Lower  Savages,  and  a  little  to  the 
east  of  the  Upper  Savages;  Big  Island  at  the  entrance 


200 


THE  GOLDEN  NORTH. 


to  North  Bay ;  and  the  Digges,  six  miles  west  of  Cape 
Wolstenholme,  at  the  south  side  of  the  entrance  to 
Hudson's  Bay. 

The  water  in  the  Strait  is  uniformly  very  deep ;  be- 
tween Resolution  and  Cape  Chidley  it  is  three  hun- 
dred fathoms.  The  center  of  the  Strait  to  the  west 
will  average  from  two  hundred  to  one  hundred  and 
fifty  fathoms,  getting  shallower  as  the  entrance  to 
Hudson's  Bay  is  neared.  There  are  no  shoals  or  dan- 
gerous reefs  to  render  navigation  precarious.  The 
same  may  practically  be  said  in  regard  to  fogs  and 
gales;  fogs  occur,  but  are  usually  of  short  duration, 
and  heavy  gales  are  of  rare  occurrence.  In  this  respect 
the  Strait  is  in  happy  contrast  with  the  ever-squally 
waters  of  the  Labrador  Coast.  The  variation  or  error 
of  the  magnetic  needle,  in  its  application  to  the  navi- 
gation of  Hudson's  Strait,  is  as  regular  and  reliable  as 
in  any  part  of  the  world.  It  is  about  50  degrees  west 
at  Cape  Chidley,  and  at  the  entrance  of  Hudson's'Bay, 
say  at  Nottingham  Island,  about  55  w.  There  is  no 
local  magnetic  force  to  interfere  with  navigating  the 
center  of  the  Strait,  and  the  compass,  that  is,  the  patent 
Sir  William  Thompson  compass,  may  be  depended 
upon;  but  the  ordinary  marine  compass  is  practically 
worthless.  This  arises  from  the  close  proximity  of  the 
Strait  to  the  magnetic  pole,  on  account  of  which  the 
directive  force  acting  on  the  needle  is  greatly  dimin- 
ished. - 

The  shores  of  the  Strait  are  high,  bold  and  barren, 
consisting  of  the  Laurentian  gneiss  formation.  The 
waters  abounj^  in  whales,  porpoise,  walrus,  seal,  and 
many- kinds  of  fish,  while  on  the  shores  and  the  borders 
of  the  lakes  and  streams  of  the  interior,  fur-bearing  ani- 
mals, deer,  white  bears  and  a  great  variety  of  small 
game,  are  plentiful.  The  Eskimos  inhabit  both  the 
north  and  south  shores,  and  the  borders  of  the  rivers. 

A  visit  to  some  of  the  Eskimo  camps  on  the  nOrth 
shore  of  Hudson's  Strait  proved  interesting.  There  we 
obtained    some    rare     skins    and     talked    to     the 


^^W^r^fm"^ 


IN  HUDSON'S  STRAIT. 


20I 


natives,  to  a  limited  extent,  in  their  own  language. 
The  author  had,  by  that  time,  gained  a  slight  knowl- 
edge of  Eskimo.  The  following  is  from  the  author's 
book  "North  Land,"  printed  some  years  ago: 

"I  had  in  my  hands  a  Snyder  rifle,  which  attracted 
the  admiration  of  a  young  hunter.  I  allowed  him  to 
examine  it,  and  remarked,  *oonla-ko-olik,'  which 
means,  'It  is  a  rifle.'  He  was  greatly  pleased  with  the 
idea  that  I  could  speak  his  tongue,  and  went  into  a 
rigmarole  of  gibberish,  of  which  I  understood  noth- 
ing, and  to  which  I  responded:  'Ontuke,'  which  is, 
*I  do  not  understand.'  Then  his  countenance  dropped, 
but  to  revive  him  I  said:  *Ki-chin-a-coma,'  which  is, 
*I  will  give  you  tobacco.*  His  smiles  returned,  and 
extending  one  hand  he  waited  anxiously,  for  all  Es- 
kimos love  tobacco.  Exhibiting  the  tobacco,  I  asked, 
*kito-ma-shima-yuk?'  This  demand  for  deer  skin 
brought  another  cloud  to  his  face,  but  after  a  moment's 
pause  he  shouted  out,  'ko-le-tuk,'  meaning  a  woman's 
dress  of  deer  skin.  He  exhibited  two  of  these,  made  of 
beautifully  dressed  skins,  with  shoulder  hoods  for 
papoose,  and  the  inevitable  long  tails,  the  only  dis- 
tinguishing mark  between  the  dress  of  the  men  and 
that  of  the  women.  He  laid  them  on  the  ground,  and 
I  placed  four  plugs  of  black  tobacco  near  by  and  asked, 
'Oonah,  oomung  de?'  or  'will  you  take  this  for  that?' 
He  nodded  assent  and  the  trade  was  over,  but  not  un- 
til his  explanation  of  *Match-a-mic,'  had  softened  me 
to  the  extent  of  one  card  of  matches. 

"I  then  asked  for  'poyea,'  or  seal  skin.  He  brought 
from  his  bag  of  the  same  material  four  large  skins,  and 
the  same  performance  was  rept«ved.  I  obtained  them 
for  four  mean  little  black  plugs  of  tobacco,  and  felt  that 
the  native  had  been  badly  swindled ;  while,  on  the  other 
hand,  he  seemed  to  think  he  had  struck  a  bonanza,  and 
grinned  all  over  his  great  broad  ugly  face. 

"With  a  disposition  to  continue  the  traffic,  I  in- 
quired for  'Nannuk,'  or  white  bear  skin.  He  exhibited 
a  piece  about  eighteen  inches  square,  and  I  brought 

14 


202 


THE  GOLDEN  NORTH. 


out  some  more  tobacco,  but  he  shook  his  head  and 
wanted  *og-jik'  (powder).  I  had  none  of  this.  Then 
he  wanted  'in-nip-a-lowHte,'  (gun  caps);  I  had  none; 
and  then  he  shouted  'de-vine-looka,'  all  of  which  meant 
only  'shot,'  but  I  had  none.  Ho-vever,  he  was  not  to 
be  easily  discouraged  and  called  for  a  'shi-powit,'  or  a 
pipe.  I  had  only  one  and  could  not  part  with  that,  so 
I  said,  turning  away,  *ok-shan-i,'  or  good-bye.  This 
was  a  good  stroke,  I  mean  a  business  stroke.  He  came 
to  time  without  delay  and  called  after  me:  *Pish-shee- 
yon-ma-go-lova-too-goot,'  or  *I  want  to  trade.*  I  then 
exhibited  two  plugs  of  black-strap,  and  asked  in  a 
decided  tone  of  voice,  as  if  it  were  my  last  offer, 
'oomungde?'  He  yielded  and  I  became  the  happy 
owner  of  this  small  piece  of  valuable  skin. 

"Just  then  a  new  arrival  advanced,  and,  extending 
'my  hand,  I  said  carelessly,  *kan-we-kuk'  (how  are 
you).  He  took  my  hand  and  shook  it  heartily,  and 
spreading  out  his  skins,  said  *pish-shee-yon-ma-go- 
lova.'  I  turned  him  over  to  a  companion  who  re- 
lieved him  of  his  peltries,  giving  in  return  therefor  as 
little  in  value  as  I  had  done  for  the  goods  obtained 
from  the  first." 


mm^^^ 


CAPTURING  A  WHALE- 


:K>3 


CHAPTER  XXXI. 


,'t 


CAPTURING  A  WHALE. 

Scenes  and  ImpressiorM  of  Marble  Island — Visit  to  the  Rose 
Welco.ae — The  "crow's  nest"  and  L<»okout-man— Har- 
pooning a  whale— An  exciting  contest — A  "flurry." 

On  our  way  to  the  Rose  Welcome  we  stopped  at 
Marble  Island  and  were  at  once  surprised  at  seeing 
so  many  indications  of  the  dead  at  the  old  winter 
quarters  of  the  New  England  whalers.  On  a  high 
gravel  ridge,  near  the  harbor,  there  was  a  string  of 
graves,  some  twenty  in  number,  marked  by  large, 
well  formed  oak  monuments. 

The  scene  about  us  was  singularly  impressive.  In 
the  stillness  of  the  morning,  we  viewed  the  little  city 
of  the  dead  from  the  quarter-deck  of  our  good  ship. 
The  sun,  yet  low  in  the  eastern  sky,  bathed  in  golden 
brightness  the  vast  sea  over  which  its  refreshing  rays 
greeted  the  little  island.  The  breeze  had  not  yet 
awakened,  and  there  was  no  voice  of  beast  or  bird, 
nor  breath  of  life  to  stir  the  atmosphere. 

It  was  a  place  and  an  hour  for  contemplation,  and 
one  could  not  readily  turn  away  from  its  opportuni- 
ties. Standing  there  and  looking  back  over  the  his- 
tory of  ancient  and  modern  times,  it  seemed  that, 
stretching  from  the  land  of  the  Norseman,  and  the 
waters  of  Archangel,  to  "India's  coral  strand,"  all  peo- 
ples, and  tribes,  and  tongues,  from  the  earliest  days 
of  Chaldean  power  down  to  the  history  of  Assyrian, 
Persian,  Grecian,  Roman,  and  Anglo-Saxon  suprema- 
cy, have,  in  the  progress  of  the  arts  and  sciences,  in 
the  growth  of  political  institutions  of  government  and 
civil  liberty,  in  the  development  of  commerce  and  the 
advancement  of  industrial  pursuits,  and  in  the  rise 
and  glorious  reign  of  Christianity,been  moving  forward 


'Aim ' 
.  '■':> 


mm- 


iu\ 


'■<'ii '  (j 


204 


THE  GOLDEN  NOr.TH. 


northwesterly.  The  contemplation,  visionary  in  one 
sense,  was  real  in  another,  and  history  was  the  source 
of  its  inspiration.  The  general  course  of  human  prog- 
ress, for  thousands  of  years,  has  been  to  the  north- 
west; it  is  still,  in  the  flood  tide  of  its  strength,  north- 
westerly. 

Mankind,  in  all  ages,  iu  marching  along 
The  highway  of  commerce,  by  mighty  and  strong 
Impulse  of  progress,  invariably  throng 
A  course  that  leads  north-westerly. 

The  first  wooden  monument  met  with  on  the  far 
north  grave-ridge  bore  the  following  inscription: 

Sacred  to  the  Memory 

of 

CAPTAIN  WILLIAM  MURPHY, 

■of 

*  Schooner  Abbie  Bradford, 

who  died  of  consumption  at  Marble  Island, 

April  5,  1881,  aged  48  years. 

There  were  many  others.  The  bodies  occupying 
these  had  fallen  victims  to  scurvy.  Leaving  Marble 
Island,  we  steam  north  into  the  whaling  ground,  called 
the  Rose  Welcome,  to  witness  the  capture  of  one  of 
these  monsters  of  the  sea.  This  calls  for  some  obser- 
vations on  whales.  They  live  entirely  in  the  water, 
and  obtain  their  livelihood  there;  hence  their  whole 
structure  is  fitted  for  the  seas  only;  and  when  they 
are  unfortunately  cast  upon  shoals,  they  cannot  of 
their  own  power- re-enter  the  water,  but  perish  from 
starvation. 


le 
:e 

T- 
1- 
1- 


CAPTURING  A  WHALE. 


205 


ar 


g 
le 

id 

r- 

r, 
e 

y 


They  are  forced  to  rise  to  the  surface  of  the  water 
to  breathe,  which  is  called  "spouting,"  because  a  col- 
umn of  mixed  vapor  and  water  is  ejected  from  the 
"blow-holes,"  rising  above  the  surface  to  a  height  of 
more  than  twenty  feet.  The  fins  are  simply  unde- 
veloped legs,  suited  to  aquatic  locomotion;  but  their 
chief  use  seems  to  be  to  keep  their  immense  bodies  in 
position  and  in  caring  for  their  young,  as  the  pro- 
pelling power  is  located  altogether  in  the  tail. 

The  northern  whale  is,  when  fully  grown,  about 
seventy  feet  long,  and  in  girth  about  thirty-five  or  forty 
feet.  Its  color  is  velvety-black  on  the  upper  half  of  its 
body,  as  also  on  its  fins  and  tail,  but  its  belly  and  the 
lower  part  of  its  jaw  are  nearly  white.  The  sleek,  shiny 
appearance  of  its  body  is  due  to  the  oil  which  is  con- 
stantly emitted  through  the  pores  of  the  skin.  The 
skin  is  threefold;  the  inner,  or  true  skin  is  nothing 
more  or  less  than  the  blubber,  or  fat.  This  blubber  is 
generally  aboat  eighteen  inches  to  two  feet  thick  ac- 
cording to  location  on  tht  body,  and  besides  being  of 
value  as  an  article  of  commerce,  it  is  of  great  use  to  the 
whale,  offering  an  elastic  resistance  to  the  waves  and 
pressure  of  the  water.  In  a  full-sized  whale  the  blub- 
ber will  weigh  thirty  or  forty  tons. 

The  head  of  tht  whale  is  of  enormous  size,  being 
about  one-third  of  the  entire  length.  The  jaws  are 
very  long — more  than  fifteen  feet,  and  about  eight 
feet  wide,  and  ten  to  twelve  feet  from  top  to  bottom 
when  open.  The  most  peculiar  part  of  the  mouth  is 
tlie  abundance  of  whalebone  that  it  contains.  It  lies 
in  a  series  of  plates,  thick  and  close  where  it  is  at- 
tached to  the  jaw,  but  running  into  hair-like  fibers  at 
tbe  ends.  On  each  side  of  the  jaw  there  are  over  three 
hundred  of  these  rows  with  the  bone  usually  about  ten 
or  twelve  feet  long.  A  good  sized  whale  will  furnish 
about  one  ton  of  bone,  which  is  very  valuable  as  an 
article  of  commerce.  The  whalebone  is  of  use  to  the 
whale  in  catching  its  food  and  in  separating  it  from 
the  water. 


•^■^ 


■•5*1 


206 


THE  GOLDEN  NORTH. 


The  whales  suckle  their  young.  When  first  born  the 
young  whale  is  without  whalebone^  and,  therefore,  its 
mouth  is  not  equipped  for  supplying  itself  with  food, 
so  that  it  is  wholly  dependent  upon  the  mother  for 
subsistance.  The  maternal  whale  keeps  close  to  her 
offspring,  and  does  not  forsake  it  until  the  whalebone 
is  grown  and  it  is  able  to  support  itself. 

Whaling  is  one  of  the  most  exciting  vocations 
known  to  man.  It  is  not  attended  with  as  many  dan- 
gers as  writers  have  generally  depicted,  but  it  neces- 
sitates many  hardships,  great  exposure^  and,  of  course, 
some  risk  of  life.  Steam,  vessels  have  pretty  much 
superseded  sailing  craft  in  this  trade,  and  are  found, 
for  many  reasons,  to  be  very  much  more  adapted  to  it ; 
but  in  Hudson's  Bay  the  sailing  vessel  is  still  used. 
When  the  ship,  with  her  crew  and  hunting  appliances, 
has  x-eached  the  whaling  waters,  the  "crow's  nest," 
which  consists  of  a  barrel,  supplied  with  furs  and  com- 
fortables, without  any  top,  and  with  its  bottom  ar- 
ranged so  as  to  open  and  shut  on  hinges,  is  arranged 
on  the  cross-tree  of  the  foremast.  The  lookout-man 
ascends  the  rigging,  passes  up  into  this  nest,  closes 
the  trap  after  him,  and,  with  the  aid  of  a  telescope 
keeps  a  vigilant  outlook  for  whales.  Meanwhile  all  is 
gotten  ready  on  deck  for  putt'  ig  ofif  in  the  boats  when- 
ever a  monster  is  sighted.  The  lookout-man  may  have 
to  endure  many  long,  weary,  tedious  hours  before  his 
aching  eyes  are  gladdened  by  a  sight  of  the  object  of 
his  watch,  but  as  soon  as  he  observes  a  whale,  he  care- 
fully notes  its  location  and  the  direction  from  the 
vessel  to  it.  Then,  opening  the  trap,  he  rapidly  but 
quietly  descends.  Not  a  word  is  spoken,  but  the  man 
on  the  bridge  gives  the  sign  and  a  boat  is  made  ready. 
Six  oarsmen  and  a  helmsman  are  at  their  posts.  The 
lookout-man  jumps  into  the  boat,  takes  his  place  at 
the  swivel  harpoon  gun,  and  at  once  becomes  the 
harpooneer.  He  gives  the  course,  and  the  boat  with 
muflfled  oars  puts  away  toward  the  whale,  and,  after 
cruising  about  for  several  hours,  it  may  be,  the  giant 


I 


CAPTURING  A  WHALE. 


20J' 


comes  to  the  surface  to  blow,  perhaps  within  a  hun- 
dred yards  of  the  hunters.  He  generally  remains 
partly  out  of  the  water  five  or  ten  minutes,  so  that  there 
IS  time  to  get  the  boat  into  position.  The  swivel  gim 
is  turned  upon  him  and  discharged,  sending  into  his 
side  a  harpoon,  some  two  feet,  to  which  is  attached  a 
line  six  hundred  and  twenty  fathoms  long.  The  har- 
poon is  about  eighteen  inches  or  two  feet  in  length. 
The  stock  is  inserted  in  the  muzzle  of  the  gun,  and  the 
line  is  fastened  to  a  ring  at  one  side.  The  barbed 
point  of  the  deadly  weapon  projects  from  the  gun 
some  ten  or  twelve  inches.  Fourteen  fathoms  of  the 
line  are  left  loose,  in  1  proper  coil,  so  that  the  harpoon 
will  be  impeded  as  little  as  possible.  If  they  have  suc- 
ceeded in  making  fast  to  the  whale,  which  generally 
makes  off  under  water,  the  line  is  payed  out  A^ith  the 
friction  of  two  turns  round  the  "buJet  head,"  and  a 
small  flag,  called  the  ''boat's  jack,"  is  sent  up  as  a  signal 
indicating  the  situation  of  the  ship. 

Meanwhile  the  captain  has  taken  up  his  position  in 
the  "crow's  nest,"  and  as  soon  as  the  signal  is  given 
he  gives  the  word  from  the  lookout,  "a  fall!"  This  is 
taken  up  by  the  cook  or  others  on  deck;  and,  for  a 
minute,  all  are  shouting  "a  f^ll!"  '*a  fall!"  and  all  are 
rushing  for  the  boats.  Should  the  men  be  in  their 
berths,  no  time  is  allowed  or  needed  for  dressing.  They 
sleep  with  their  clothes  on,  and  with  such  extra  gar- 
ments as  they  may  require  in  a  small  bag  attached  to 
their  persons  by  a  rope,  so  that  when  the  word  is  given 
they  require  only  to  jump  for  the  boats.  Each  man 
knows  his  station  in  one  of  the  six  boats  sent  out  on 
''a  fall!"  The  helmsmen,  the  oarsmen,  the  lancers, 
and  the  harpooners,  are  each  and  all  at  their  posts, 
while  with  muffed  oars  they  speed  away  toward  the 
struggling  whalers  in  the  first  boat  sent  out,  leaving 
on  ship-board  only  the  captain,  the  cook,  and  one  or 
two  sailors. 

The  great  object  of  these  assisting  boats  is  to  get  as 
near  the  whale  as  possible  when  he  comes  to  the  sur- 


Hi 

1 

i 

Hit 

ffif' 

n 

. 

1 

f||| 

K 

Bf 

'.1  ill 

u 

1 

lii 

1 

i®l 

i  n 

1 

208 


THE  GOLDEN  NORTH. 


face,  and  to  discharge  the  contents  of  their  harpoon 
guns  into  his  sides,  so  as  to  secure  him  by  additional 
Hnes.  A  premium  is  placed  upon  this  work  to  the  ex- 
tent of  one  dollar  a  man  for  each  harpoon  inserted. 
The  assisting  boats  are  equipped  with  swivel  guns, 
the  same  as  the  first  boat  sent  out.  When  the  whale 
has  been  secured  by  four  or  five  harpoons,  and  when 
he  has  "flurried,"  and  not  until  then,  the  lancers  ap- 
proach him.  The  whale  "flurries"  soon  after  being 
harpooned,  or  by  the  time  he  has  been  fastened  by  two 
or  three  lines. 

It  is  hard  to  describe  a  "flurry,"  but  it  is  a  flurry  with 
a  vengeance.  The  whale  becomes  alarmed,  excited, 
and  loses  his  head,  and  in  this  condition  he  blows 
and  tears  around  in  indescribable  fury,  lashing  the 
water  with  his  tail,  and  rendering  approach  to  him  ex- 
ceedingly dangerous.  All  keep  their  distance  during 
the  "flurry;"  but  this  exhibition  of  power  is  generally 
succeeded  by  a  calm,  in  which  the  victim  is  said  to  be 
getting  sick.  He  comes  often  to  the  surface,  and  re- 
mains partly  out  of  the  water  for  several  minutes  each 
time.  The  boats  approach  clo-.er  and  closer,  near  the 
forward  fin,  so  as  to  avoid  his  tail,  and  with  hand- 
lances,  lances  on  poles  about  ten  feet  long,,  pierce  his 
sides.  Sometimes  he  is  fired  into  with  "exploding 
bomb  lances,"  which,  after  piercing  his  flesh  some  two 
feet,  explode  inside,  making  great  havoc  of  his  vital 
parts. 

Under  this  treatment  he  soon  begins  to  blow  blood, 
which  is  a  most  wonderful  spectacle.  But  there  is  no 
mercy  for  the  whale.  He  is  lanced  and  pierced  and 
butchered  until  he  turns  himself  over,  in  a  sort  of  death 
act,  and  yields  himself  up  to  his  captors.  The  men 
with  knives  make  noles  through  his  tail  and  lower  lip, 
and  fasten  lines  thereto,  when  another  signal  is  given 
for  the  approach  of  the  ship,  which  presses  hurriedly 
towards  them.  No  matter  how  long  and  arduously 
the  men  have  worked,  or  how  cold  and  exhausted  thev 
have  become,  they  are  all  jolly  now,  and,  holding  on 


CAPTURING  A  WHALE. 


209 


to  their  prize,  they  while  away  the  minutes  until  the 
vessel  arrives,  by  singing  some  of  their  favorite  songs. 

On  the  approach  of  the  vessel,  the  whale  is  made 
fast  to  her  side,  tail  forward,  so  that  the  large  open 
mouth  will  not  fill  with  water  in  case  of  the  advance 
of  the  ship,  and  the  work  of  sculping  is  begun.  This  is 
done  under  the  superintendence  of  an  official  called 
"  the  Inspectioneer."  Eight  or  ten  men  are  lowered 
upon  the  body  of  the  whale,  with  nails  or  brads  in 
the  soles  of  their  boots,  Hke  creepers,  in  order  that 
they  may  not  slip  oflf  his  round  form ;  and  with  long 
knives  well  sharpened  for  the  purpose,  commence  the 
work  of  removing  the  blubber,  which  is  generally 
eighteen  inches  thick  over  the  whole  carcass. 

The  whale  industry  is  in  the  hands  of  citizens  of  the 
United  States  from  New  England. 


210 


THE  GOLDEN  NCKTH. 


■'his'  :  '  ;■' 


CHAPTER  XXXII. 

DAY  AT  FORT  CHURCHILL. 

Rev.  Mr.  Lofthouse— A  curious  courtship  by  photograph  and 
letter— An  intended  bride  starts  from  the  old  country 
for  Hudson's  Bay  to  become  the  wife  of  a  missionary — 
The  porpoise  fishery. 

It  is  about  six  hundred  miles  from  the  Rose  Wel- 
come whaling  ground  to  Fort  Churchill,  or  old  Fort 
Prince  of  Wales,  which  is  at  the  mouth  of  the  Churchill 
River.  The  fort  is  a  magnificent  structure.  One  cor- 
ner of  it  was  shattered  by  an  attempt  made  to  blow  it 
up  when  abandoned  by  Hearne  in  1782;  but  it  is 
otherwise  in  an  excellent  state  of  preservation,  and 
will  remain  so,  unless  taken  down,  for  centuries  to 
come.  It  was  built  by  the  Hudson's  Bay  Company 
and  occupied  nearly  half  a  century  as  payment  for  its 
construction.  A  little  way  up  the  river  from  the  fort 
is  the  trading  post,  where  Chief  Factor  Spencer  re- 
sides in  a  well  appointed  cottage  with  his  good  wife 
and  children.  This  cottage  has  been  standing  for  near- 
ly fifty  years  and  is  still  sound  in  every  part.  Besides 
the  other  residents  at  this  trading  post,  we  meet  with 
the  Rev.  J.  Lofthouse,  who  at  once  becomes  a  person 
of  peculiar  interest.  He  is,  as  the  reader  will  have 
supposed,  the  missionary  stationed  at  this  post 
by  the  Church  of  England,  and  is  a  pleasant  looking, 
affable  young  person,  well  qualifted  to  get  along  in  a 
quiet  way,  without  occupying  any  more  space  in  the 
world  of  thought  and  action  than  the  small  duties  of 
his  limited  sphere  require.  He  came  out  from  his 
Yorkshire  home  in  1882,  and  has  been  since  located 
part  of  the  time  at  York.  He  had,  only  a  few  days  be- 
fore, completed  the  journey  fiom  that  place  to  Church- 
ill  along   the    coast    on    foot,    a    distance    of    over 


■  mm\'  "J  '',.  M'^'.T'"»rPfW'^T^ijPii 


DAY  AT  FORT  CHURCHILL. 


211 


one  hundred  and  fifty  miles,  in  order  to  meet  the  out- 
coming  Hudson's  Bay  Company's  ship  as  soon  as  she 
reached  her  first  anchorage  on  ^he  west  shore  of  the 
bay.  Do  you  ask  why  he  could  not  wait  for  her  ar- 
rival at  York?  For  the  best  of  all  reasons.  His  future 
wife  came  out  with  the  vessel  to  join  him  in  matrimony 
and  the  cares  of  married  life  in  his  adopted  hcwne  on 
the  shores  of  Hudson's  Bay. 

There  is  a  good  deal  of  romance  connected  with  the 
story  of  the  reverend  gentleman's  courtship.  After 
becoming  settled  in  his  new  northwestern  charge,  he 
bethought  him  of  the  necessities  of  his  new  position. 
Of  course  the  comforts  of  home  could  not  be  complete 
without  a  wife,  and  neither  at  York  nor  at  Churchill 
was  there  to  be  found  a  person  suitable.  In  fact  there 
were  no  unmarried  ladies  at  these  places  except  Cree 
ladies;  and  although  some  of  these  are  really  beauti- 
ful and  fairly  well  educated,  they  are  not  just  suited  to 
the  necessities  of  the  parsonage.  Under  these  cir- 
cumstances, the  Rev.  Mr.  Lofthouse  exchanged  pho- 
tographs, through  friends  in  the  old  country,  with  a 
young  lady  whom  he  had  never  seen,  but  of  ^yhom  he 
knew  something  by  hearsay.  The  courtship,  the  pro- 
posal, the  acceptance,  and  the  whole  business  had  been 
completed  in  the  narrow  scope  of  two  letters;  but  let 
not  the  reader  suppose  it  lacked  sentiment  and  feeling 
on  that  account.  Far  from  it.  On  the  contrary,  the 
int^r.ded  bride  and  the  intended  bridegroom,  were 
greatly  overcome  by  the  peculiarity  of  the  circum- 
stances. They  were  to  meet  as  strangers,  as  lovers, 
betrothed,  promised,  engaged,  and  for  the  purpose  of 
marriage.    And  they  did  meet,  and  were  married. 

There  is  neither  an  Eskimo  nor  yet  a  resident  In- 
dian population  at  Churchill.  The  inhabitants  of  the 
place  number  about  forty.  These  are  Chippewayan 
half-breeds,  except  the  officers  of  the  post  and  their 
families.  There  are,  however,  about  two  hundred  na- 
tives in  the  neighborhood  which  visit  the  fort,  ofT  and 
on,  during  various  seasons  of  the  year.    The  Indians 


I 


2ia 


THE  GOLDEN  NORTH. 


(Chippewayans)  come,  in  the  early  spring,  to  trade, 
bringing  with  them  tht  valuable  skins  of  the  otter, 
the  deer  and  the  marten,  the  mink,  the  silver-gray 
fox,  etc.  The  Eskimos  visit  the  fort,  generally  dur- 
ing the  winter,  laden  with  white  bear,  deer,  white  fox, 
wolf  and  other  fur-bearing  skins.  In  this  way  a  con- 
siderable traffic  is  carried  on,  to  the  great  profit  of  the 
Hudson's  Bay  Company  and  to  the  many  hardships 
and  privations  of  the  r!itivei,  vvlio,  however,  appear 
most  in  their  true  element  when  half  naked,  half 
starved,  and  very  dirty. 

The  half-breed  population  of  Churchill,  less  than 
forty  souls,  dwell  with  a  few  exceptions,  in  a  long  low 
building  owned  by  the  company,  in  which  they  are  a 
sbrt  of  tenants  at  will.  In«the  best  sense  of  the  term 
they'  are  nothing  more  nor  less  than  slaves.  They 
are  called  servants.  That  name,  perhaps,  suits  their 
condition  and  circumstances  best.  There  is  generally 
a  sort  of  engagement  or  agreement  between  the  men 
and  the  company.  They  are  engaged  for  periods  of 
from  three  to  five  years,  at  stipends  ranging  from  one 
pound  to  two  pounds  ten  shilHngs  a  month,  and  are 
always  paid  in  merchandise  at  Hudson's  Bay  Com- 
pany's prices,  prices  that  are  never  complained  of, 
because  there  is  not  the  slightest  advantage  in  com- 
plaining, but  which  are  large  enough  to  make  up  for 
the  infrequency  of  purchases.  They  live  and  die  in 
the  service  of  the  company,  enjoy  but  few  privileges, 
few  comforts,  and  have  no  opportunities  of  learning 
anything  about  the  world  in  which  they  live. 

From  the  large  number  of  children  among  them, 
and  their  very  healthy  condition,  it  is  plainly  to  be 
seen  that  they  are  on  the  increase.  They  are  provided 
with  all  the  absolute  necessities  of  life  in  full  supply. 
They  are  seldom  in  want  of  food,  except  occasionally 
when  the  supplies  at  the  post  run  short,  as  the  coun- 
try is  full  of  deer,  wild  geese  in  their  season,  and  small 
game ;  and  as  the  company's  agents  treat  them  honor- 
ably, their  condition  is  one  of  comparative  comfort. 


DAY  AT  FORT  CHURCHILL. 


213 


In  conversation  and  manners  they  are  very  simple, 
plain,  dull  and  quiet  people;  and,  in  speaking  with 
them,  one  is  impressed  with  their  dense  ignorance  of 
all  things.  Their  knowledge  of  mechanics  is  confined 
to  fire-arms  and  sailing  craft. 

Walrus  hunting  is  an  important  industry  at 
Churchill.  .:^rly  every  spring  two  large  boats  are  sent 
up  to  the  walrus  grounds  jug*^  to  the  northwest  of 
Marble  Island,  Last  season  this  ei»terprise  was  con- 
ducted by  George  MacTavish,  chief -clerk,  who,  with 
a  crew  of  half-breeds  and  Indians,  took  twenty-two 
large  walruses  in  a  few  days,  and  could  have  easily  se- 
cured as  many  more,  only  that  the  blubber  from  the 
carcasses  of  those  he  captured  more  than  loaded  his 
boats.  He  experienced  a  very  successful  trip,  with 
the  exception  that  one  of  his  Indians  died  suddenly  of 
heart  disease  during  the  voyage  up. 

Aside  from  the  walrus  hunt,  Mr.  Spencer  is  develop- 
ing a  large  porpoise,  or  white  whale  fishery,  on  the 
very  shores  of  Churchill  harbor,  where,  with  his  nets 
and  traps,  he  took,  last  season,  one  hundred  and  nine- 
ty of  these  mammals,  of  immense  size.  By  increasing 
his  facilities,  five  hundred  or  a  thousand  might  be 
t.\>en  annually.  Two  large  blubber  refineries  have 
been  opened  at  Churchill,  where  the  fat  of  the  por- 
poise and  walruses  is  refined  and  placed  in  casks  ready 
for  shipment  to  Europe.  This  oil,  together  with  the 
furs  which  are  taken  from  the  natives  in  exchange  for 
merchandise,  and  the  ivory  from  the  walrus,  make  up 
an  annual  budget  at  Churchill  of  great  value.  These 
products  are  exported  each  year  in  the  company's 
ships,  and  find  a  ready  market  in  the  old  world,  to  the 
great  advantage  of  the  Company's  treasury. 


JI4 


THE  GOLDEN  NORTH. 


CHAPTER  XXXIII. 


OBSERVATIONS  AT  YORK  FACTORY. 

Buildings  at  the  trading  post— The  Church  and  the  School 
—An  Interesting  murder  trial. 

York  factory  at  the  mouth  of  the  Nelson  and  Hayes 
rivers,  is  not  the  splendid  place  it  was  half  a  century 
ago,  but  is  in  good  condition  and  is  yet  an  important 
Hudson's  Bay  Company  trading  post.  The  buildings, 
of  which  there  are  about  fifty  belonging  to  the  post 
proper,  many  of  them  large  and  handsome,  are  clean 
and  bright-looking,  and  must  have  been  erected  at 
great  expense.  The  main  factory  building  is  a  square, 
with  a  court-yard  in  the  center,  being  over  two  hun- 
dred feet  on  each  side.  Th  j  front  center  is  three  stories 
high,  the  other  portion  two  stories.  It  is  of  wood,  as 
are  all  the  buildings  belonging  to  the  place.  It  stands 
back  about  three  hundred  feet  from  the  front  palisade, 
which  runs  along  parallel  with  the  Hayes  River,  upon 
which  it  fronts. 

Potatoes  and  turnips  do  pretty  well  in  the  gardens 
at  York  Factory. 

Away  to  the  north  of  the  village,  about  three  miles, 
are  the  ruins  of  old  Fort  York,  which  was  captured 
and  destroyed  by  La  Perouse  in  1782.  Between  this 
and  the  new  fort,  as  it  is  generally  called,  and  near  to 
the  latter,  is  the  powder  magazine,  enclosed  by  a  high 
palisade,  and  the  grave-yard. 

The  little  church  within  the  palisade,  where  the  white 
people  attend  service,  is  a  neat  structure,  much  like 
that  at  Churchill,  but  about  double  the  size.  It  con- 
tains a  melodeon,  and  is  otherwise  well  appointed. 
Next  to  it  is  the  school  house,  just  outside  of  the 
palisade.  It  is  a  neat,  clean,  well  kept  building,  where 
in  the  summer  months  ^  hool  is  kept  up  from  eight 


OBSERVATIONS  AT  YORK  FACTORY. 


215 


o'clock  in  the  morning  until  about  five  o'clock  in  the 
evening.  There  arc,  including  white  and  Cree,  about 
one  hundred  and  twenty-five  children.  These  have 
but  one  teacher,  but  are  taught  separately. 

The  white  children  attend  school,  and  English 
branches  are  taught,  from  eight  to  half-past  ten  in  the 
forenoon.  From  that 

hour    until    five    in  ALPHADFT. 

the  evening  the  In- 
dian children  are 
taught  in  Cree,  to 
read  and  write,  and 
to  apply  the  rudi- 
ments of  arithmetic. 
Great  progress  has 
been  made  in  the 
education  of  the 
Cree  Indians.  The 
same  syllabic  char- 
acters are  used  as  in 
teaching  Chippewa- 
yan.  A  number  of 
useful  text-books 
have  been  printed, 
and,  through  the 
indefatigable  efforts 
of  Mrs.  Mason,  the 
mother  of  Mrs. 
Fortesque,  wife 
of  Chief  Factor 
Fortesque,  the  en- 
tire Old  and  New 
Testaments  have 
been  printed  and  published  in  the  Cree  language.  It 
is  a  great  credit  to  the  efforts  put  forth  at  York  factory, 
on  behalf  of  education,  that  almost  all  the  Indians 
there,  who  are  of  sufficient  age,  can  read  and  write  with 
case  in  their  own  language. 

A  few  years  ago  the  quiet  of  York  Factory  was  dis- 


DriTUIJS, 

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MM 


2l6 


tHE  GOLDEN  NORTH. 


turbed  by  a  murder.  In  a  brawl  between  two  Indian 
women,  named  Nancy  Natainew  and  Mary  Quaqua, 
the  former  threw  an  ax  at  the  latter,  which  she  man- 
aged to  avoid,  but  it  struck  her  son  John,  a  small  boy, 
on  the  head.  He  died  from  the  effects  of  the  blow 
two  days  after.  The  woman,  Natainew,  was  duly  tried 
before  Justice  Fortesque  in  the  school-houiC.  Chief 
Factor  Fortesque,  besides  exercising  some  judicial 
functions  as  the  head  officer  at  the  post,  is  a  Justice  of 
the  Peace  for  the  Northwest  Territories  of  Canada. 

D  r .      Matthews, 

eb  <n  <\iyu  acting  as   Gerk  of 

nn  bnsi  (rP<M)  vc  ^cn^  S^    the   Court   and 

-  ^  4^^  Crown    Prosecutor, 

-^  t.-.I»   ^^  ^^^   ».i_v    Ai.    interested  himself  in 
m  hmi  f^/X  Vf^   y/W  JiU    ^..^^^^g    the    mur- 

btxi,   eO^TJ    1J/»    VUJ    'HO.  fTt  deress     to     justice; 

U/i  M  4tf1  d»  >^Ad  bU  ""(nUM)  but  before  the 

r,  OUK  V<KjCPI  CPrV8*,  VP^  r  trial  had  proceeded 

A  4. A*.  •■-•!.   #»<«^«  irfrmm.niftm  far,   he  found  him- 

§,H/^*^ir^,ca^lim^Jim  ^^j^   surrounded   by 

d,  car*  cioinq  M  tUnd>,  b^q  »*  many  ?nd  great  dif- 
►K>   m  JLAft   D'JU)»   UH  CPU.  d» 

^V**  a  OWy,  A'^y  car>0.  *<3Jni»  greatest  desire  to 
^^        ^-j^^  see  her  brought  un- 

„ '  ^  der  the  penalties  of 

British  law,  but  as 
the  trial  proceeded,  their  manner  became  greatly 
changed.  All  um:  feelings  of  their  race  became  aroused, 
and  they  loe!  '  1  upon  the  prosecution  as  a  piece  of 
tyranny  or  persecution  on  the  part  of  the  Hudson's 
Bay  Company.  Before  the  trial  came  on  they  had 
seen  the  whole  affair,  and  related  every  phase  of  it 


ficulties.  At  the 
outset  the  natives 
were  loud  in  their 
denunciations  of  the 
conduct  of  the 
hostile  squaw,  and 
manifested    the 


llHii 


iiiiiai 


^^J^.: 


iiiiiiii 


OBSERVATIONS  AT  YORK  FACTORY. 


317 


with  great  exactness;  but  in  the  witness-box  they 
knew  nothing  about  it  whatever.  Indeed,  they  were 
dumb.  As  the  examination  progressed  the  feelings  of 
the  natives  became  more  intense  in  favor  of  the  pris- 
oner ;  and  finally  the  woman,  Natainew,  became  a  mar- 
tyr to  the  fullest  extent  of  their  appreciation  of  the 
idea. 

It  was  plain  that  anything  like  conviction  by  the 
testimony  of  Indian  witnesses  would  be  an  impossibil- 
ity, and  Doctor  Matthews  gave  the  case  up,  leaving  it 
to  the  discretion  of  Justice  Fortesque  to  deal  with  the 
squaw  as  he  might  think  fit.  She  was  sentenced  to 
one  month's  imprisonment,  and  to  the  worse  penalty 
of  having  her  beautiful,  long,  black  hair  cut  off  close 
to  her  head.  This  punishment,  in  the  eyes  of  her 
sympathizers,  was  nearly  as  bad  as  hanging. 

The  Nelson  and  Hayes  fivers,  at  the  mouths  of 
whicn  York  Factory  is  located,  wind  away  to  the 
southwest  to  Lake  Winnipeg,  a  distance  of  about 
425  miles.  There  are  over  100  rapids  on  the  Nelson, 
all  of  which  have  to  be  portaged. 


■'^i 


■r, 


25 


:3l8 


THE  GOLDEN  NORTH. 


mn 


CHAPTER  XXXIV. 

PORPOISE,  WALRUS  AND  SEAL. 

Character  and  value  of  these  animals — The  porpoise  fish- 
eries—The Walrus  hunt— Peculiarities  of  Narwhal — 
Probabilities  of  a  seal  breeding  ground  in  Hudson's 
Strait— Great  possibilities  of  the  oil  industry. 

Hudson's  Bay  and  Strait  are  the  dwellings  of  the 
porpoise,  or  white  whale.  There  countless  thousands 
may  be  seen  tumbhng  about  on  the  waves  and  per- 
forming all  sorts  of  sportive  exercises.  They  herd  to- 
gether in  vast  dr'^ves,  often  thousands  and  tens  of 
thousands  in  one  school.  Sometimes  these  shoals 
will  form  in  "Indian  file"  and  shoot  over  the  water, 
showing  their  backs  like  a  long,  black,  winding,  ever- 
changing  streak  on  the  surface  of  the  sea.  We  met 
with  them  everywhere,  end  I  am  justified  in  saying 
that  the  waters  are  alive  with  them. 

Their  mouths  are  furnished  with  sharp  teeth,  which 
are  so  arranged  that  they  interlock  when  the  jaws  are 
closed ;  thus  they  are  well  provided  with  the  means  of 
capturing  and  devouring  food. 

The  porpoise  is  seldom  seen  in  deep  water,  and  gen- 
erally keeps  pretty  close  to  the  coast,  frequenting  bays, 
inlets  and  the  mc  iths  of  rivers.  They  generally 
ascend  the  rivers  with  the  tides  and  will  never  go  fur- 
ther up  than  the  tidal  flow,  but  will  always  stop  when 
it  stops,  and  descend  with  it.  They  are  very  fat  and 
contain  blubber  similar  to  that  of  the  whale.  A  good 
sized  porpoise  is  worth  $75. 

The  walrus  belongs  to  the  seal  family  and  presents 
a  very  grotesque  appearance.  Its  head  is  its  most 
conspicuous  part.  Its  nose  is  covered  with  long  bris- 
tles and  its  head  with  long  wiry  hair.  Its  ivory  tusks, 
often  eighteen  inches  long,  project  from  the  upper 


PORPOISE.  WALRUS,  SEAL. 


219 


jaw.  The  tusks  of  the  walrus  are  of  a  superior  quaHty 
of  ivory. 

The  walrus  is  an  exceedingly  valuable  anirral,  both 
as  an  article  of  commerce  and  to  the  Eskimo  of  the 
north.  The  blubber,  ivory,  and  skin  are  always  in  de- 
mand. The  tusks  furnish  ivory  of  a  peculiarly  white 
hue,  said  to  hold  its  color  longer  than  that  of  the  ele- 
phant's tusk.  The  oil  produced  from  the  blubber  is 
very  delicate,  and  always  commands  a  high  price.  The 
skin  is  thick  and  extremely  tough,  and  is  valuable  to 
the  Eskimo  for  dog-harness,  and  to  civilized  man  for 
many  purposes.  The  Eskimos  use  the  tusks  for  har- 
poons, spears,  and  fish-spears;  the  intestines  for  nets; 
its  oil  and  flesh  for  food,  and  its  bones  for  kayak  frames 
aiid  other  purposes. 

The  narwhal,  or  .=ea  unicorn,  is  valuable  for  its  oil 
and  ivory.  Its  horn,  from  five  to  seven  feet  long,  is 
of  the  very  finest  ivory,  and  susceptible  of  an  exceed- 
ingly high  polish.  A  full  sized  horn  is  valued  at  from 
$&  to  ^o." 

The  oil  seal,  which  abounds  in  countless  millions  in 
the  North  /^tlantic  and  adjacent  seas  and  bays,  is 
richly  coated  with  blubber,  while  the  skins  are  of  g^eat 
value  either  when  tanned  into  leather  or  prepared 
with  the  fur  on,  and  used  for  garments.  Cod  and 
salmon  abound  in  the  inlets  on  the  south  shores  of 
Hudson's  Strait. 


V! 
i' 


220 


THE  GOLDEN  NORTH. 


CHAPTER  XXXV. 


tl 


FUR  BEARING  ANIMALS. 

The  silver,  blue,  gray,  red  and  white  foxes — The  ermine—- 
The  marten— The  otter — The  varying  hare — The  lynx 
— The  wolf — The  sable,  musk  ox,  etc. — The  fur  trade. 

Having  spoken  of  the  oil-Dearing  mammais  of  the 
Hudson's  Bay  region  and  the  economic  fishes,  we  will 
nov/  briefly  direct  attention  to  the  fur-bearing  animals 
of  that  district.  In  the  first  place,  should  the  traveler 
in  that  region  depend  i  pon  the  Hudson's  Bay  Com- 
pany's employes  for  his  information  concerning  these 
resources^  he  will  remain  in  ignorance.  Thesv?  people, 
when  being  questioned  concerning  the  fu;r.  O;^  "i>er 
products,  can  manage  to  talk  and  yet  say  tL  >,  -*j>.  of 
aiiy  persons  to  be  met  with. 

Beaver  are  very  scarce,  but  foxes  are  still  pleniiful 
Of  these  there  are  many  kinds,  and  the  price  of  their 
skins  ranges  from  one  dollar  to  five  hundred,  so  that 
the  fur  trader  mu.st  be  well  versed  in  a^l  these  varieties 
in  order  to  know  the  commercial  value  of  the  various 
skins  brought  to  him  for  traffic.  Foxes  have  so  many 
nam.es,  and  there  are  so  many  different  names  for  the 
same  kind  of  fox,  that  one  meets  with  difficulty  in  at- 
tempting to  describe  them.  We  hear  of  the  black, 
the  blue,  the  silver,  the  gray,  the  cross,  the  red  and  the 
white  fox. 

Probably  the  most  fashionable  fur  of  to-day  is  thi; 
of  the  silver  fox,  which  is  found  plentifully  in  the  Hud- 
son's Bay  region.  It  is  a  rich,  deep,  glossy  black, 
with  a  bluish  tinge;  so  beautiful  are  they  that  $500 
has  been  given  for  a  single  skin,  and  La  Houtan  states 
that,  in  his  time,  the  skin  of  one  of  these  foxes  brought 
its  weight  in  gold.  Skins  frequently  bring  $250.  Of 
the  two  thousand  caught  yearly  in  different  parts  of 
North  America,  about  one  thousand  are     t  '  in  En.T- 


m 


.^. 


,'t 


H 


v--..*^'', 


wmtmmm 


^^^Wl 


FUR  BEARING  ANIMALS. 


221 


land,  and  a  much  smaller  number  in  the  United  States. 
The  choicest  skins  are  taken  on  the  northern  shores 
of  Hudson's  Strait  and  on  the  rough  coast  of  the  ex- 
treme northwestern  portions  of  Hudson's  Bay.  Some 
are  caught  in  Russia,  but  the  fur  is  of  a  poorer  quality 
and  not  valued  so  highly. 

The  cross,  red,  blue,  gray  and  white  foxes  are  all  Oi 
considerable  importance,  each  having  a  certain  com- 
mercial value.  The  best  cross  fox  skins  are  worth  $40 
euch,  and  over  10,000  are  shot  or  trapped  in  the 
northern  regions  yearly.  The  blue  fox  skins  are  worth 
$20  apiece,  and  about  7,000  are  captured  annually,  but 
some  of  these  are  secured  on  the  borders  of  the  White 
Sea  and  in  Greenland.  The  other  varieties  bring  from 
one  to  five  dollars  each.  Of  the  ordinary  red  fox  over 
100,000  are  secured  every  year  by  the  Hudson's  Bay 
Company's  posts  of  the  north. 

The  lui  of  the  ermine,  or  stoat,  has  been  esteemed 
from  ancient  times,  when  only  the  nobility  were  al- 
lowed to  wear  it;  but  the  demand  for  it  to-day  is  as 
great  as  when  the  use  of  it  was  confined  to  the  upper 
classes.  They  are  small  animals,  but  when  the  fur  is 
secured  in  very  cold  weather,  from  the  snow-clad 
slopes,  their  skins  are  valued  at  $250  each. 

There  are  many  other  '  arieties  of  valuable  furs 
taken  in  the  Hudson's  Bay  region,  as  vv^ill  be  seen  by 
the  following  list  showing  the  catch  for  one  season  in 
and  about  Cumberland  House: 


Bear 372 

El  mine   226 

Blue  Fox 4 

R^d  Fox 91 

Silver  Fox 3 

Marten    ^,157 

Musk-rat  .  180,791 

Skunk   6 

WoH  76 

Musk-ox I 


Beaver 4,684 

Fisher 50 

Cross  Fox 30 

White  Fox ....  332 

Lynx    442 

Mink  7,790 

Otter .....  424 

Wolverine. 175 

Weenisk   i 


L*?: 


» 


CHAPTER  XXXVI. 

OBfe  JRVATIONS  ON  THE  ESKIMOS. 

Romance  of  the  marriage  of  an  Eskimo  Princess — Habits  of 
life— Tlie  Kayak. 

Before  quitting  the  Hudson's  Bay  country  we  must 
relate  a  little  piece  of  romance  and  say  something 
about  the  Kayak  and  the  Eskimos  generally-  One  day 
in  wandering  among  the  rock  hills  on  the  south  shore 
of  Hudson's  Strait  in  the  neighborhood  of  Prince  of 
Wales  Sound,  we  came  to  a  little  inlet,  a  narrow  arm 
^^e  sound  extending  in  among  the  rocks,  entirely 
hi<  n  view  until  the  traveler  approached  the  water's 
edge  There  were  natives  residing  on  both  sides  of 
the  cove.  It  was  evident  that  something  unusual  was 
going  on.  An  old  chief,  with  his  great  red  cap,  stood 
upon  a  cliff  near  his  tent  on  one  side,  while,  upon  the 
waters  of  the  lake-like  inlet,  a  boat  and  half  a  dozen 
kayaks  were  filled  with  Eskimos,  apparently  enjoying 
a  holiday.  Upon  inquiry,  we  found  that  the  chief's 
daughter,  his  only  child  and  a  native  beauty,  had  just 
given  her  hand  in  marriage  to  a  young  Eskimo.  The 
event  was  much  out  of  the  general  order  of  marriages, 
as  the  newly-made  husband  was  to  succeed  the  old 
chiel  as  head-man  over  this  scattered  population.  A 
few  questions  revealed  sufficient  romance  to  make  the 
wedding  very  interesting.  The  story  is  given  in  the 
following  measure: 

Nestled  in  rocks  of  gneiss, 

Formed  while  chaos-gloom  yet  shrouded  earth, 

And  sheltered  by  eternal  snow-crowned  clifEs, 

The  placid  waters  of  the  cove,  b:   not 

One  ripple  stirred,  bore  on  their  liquid  breast 

Kayaks,  trimmed  out  with  spears  and  gaffs  and  hooks, 

A  guard  of  honor  due  the  pair  made  one 

In  bonds  unsanctified  by  rite  of  church  or  creed. 


mmmrm^ 


^^^ipp^ 


OBSERVATIONS  ON  THE  ESKIMOS. 


223 


The  whale-boat  had,  by  generous  loan,  or  from 

The  loanor's  wish  to  foster  trade,  contained, 

Besides  the  tawny  brave  and  blushing  bride. 

Seated  aft  on  pkins  of  Polar  bear,  four  more 

Strong  bending  to  the  oars.    Her  jacket  was 

Of  seal,  the  tall  bedecked  with  finer  furs 

Contrasting  shades  and  colors  gay — not  wide. 

But  pennant-ahaped,  and  further  trimmed  with  strips 

Of  feathered  skins  of  Arctic  birds  of  white 

And  shades  of  every  hue.    Of  raven  black 

Her  hair  in  braids  hung  down  upon  her  breast, 

And  falling  back,  trailed  in  the  liquid  blue. 

Her  head  was  bare;  nor  was  the  use  of  veil 

Indulged,  nor  decorations  grand,  except 

A  neatly  twisted  wreath,  extending  from 

Her  forehead  back,  of  Arctic  poppies  bright. 

And  freshly  gathered  from  the  rocky  shore. 

Her  handfl  ungloved;  her  feet  in  boots  of  seal; 

Her  neck  was  girt  about  with  ivory  balls 

And  balls  of  Latrobite,  strung  on  a  thread 

Of  skin,  and  from  it,  on  her  throbbing  breast, 

Hung  down  a  cross,  hewn  from  a  tusk, — 

A  cross  without  a  meaning  to  the  bride, 

But  patterned  from  the  pictures  left 

By  sailors,  who  for  furs  had  traded  them. 

Her  charms  had  famed  her  in  a  hundred  camps. 

And  far  and  wide  her  name,  on.  native  tongues. 

In  words  of  praise  and  boast  was  spoken  oft. 

A  princess  of  a  royal  line  of  chiefs, 

An  heir  to  Idleness  and  ease,  with  right 

To  be  attended  by  the  common  herd 

And  give  command.    Her  home  a  ruler's  hut. 

And  hence  a  palace  grand.    The  only  heir 

And  only  child  of  Chief  Utongkakum, 

Whose  rule  of  thirty  j^ears  as  native  chief 

Of  Eskimos  for  many  miles  around 

Had  blessed  his  race,  and  made  his  name  a  word 

For  con  aon  use.    The  aged  chief  couM  not 

Much  longer  wear  his  modern  cap  of  red, 

But  soon  his  crown  must  rest  on  other's  head. 

To  gain  the  princess-daughter's  hand  was  much 

To  be  desired  for  her  natural  charms, 

But  more  because  with  that  the  winner  gained 

A  crown.    Princess  Lu-killia-ke-a-kum 

Utongkakuk,  by  many  suitors  wooed, 

But  won  by  none,  until  by  test  to  find  a  man 

As  true,  as  brave,  and  worthy  to  be  called 

A  chief,  the  conquest  of  her  heart  was  made 

By  young  Shemomamik. 


r" 


t> 


224 


THE  GOLDEN  NORTH. 


The  contest  for  her  band,  the  battle  for 

The  crown,  waa  brought  on  thus.    The  evening  shades 

Wijre  falling,  when,  as  four  brave  hunters  sat 

On  skins  about  her  royal  father's  hut, 

Each  waiting  for  the  word,  the  answer  to 

A  prayer  that  sweet  Lu-killia-ke-a-kum 

Would  stooi)  to  be  his  bride.    Behold,  a  grim 

Huge  Polar  bear  approached,  but  turned 

Away  as  yelping  dogs  disclosed  to  him 

His  peril.    The  princess  answered,  pointing  to 

The  monster,  king  of  Arctic  seas:     "To  him 

Who  brings,  unaided  but  by  lance  and  nerve. 

The  soft,  white  pelt  of  that  huge  bear, 

I  give  my  hand  and  grant  my  father's  crown." 

The  bear-skin  on  the  whaler's  stern-sheets  spread, 
As  cushion  for  the  beauty,  princess-bride. 
Was  from  the  body  of  that  bear.    The  groom, 
Whose  arm  supported  her,  and  on  whose  head 
The  ruling  crown,  a  cap  of  reddish  cloth, 
Reposed,  and  at  whose  Eide  a  lance  was  slung, 
Our  hero!    Brave  Shemomamik  had  won! 


Now,  there  is  very  little  ceremony  connected  with 
an  Eskimo  marriage,  even  with  the  marriage  of  a 
chief's  only  daughter,  and  that  little  consists  of  the 
fortunate  man  conducting  his  wife  from  the  tent  of  her 
people  to  the  tent  of  his  people.  That  is  all  there  is  to 
it.  And,  very  often,  the  little  romance  that  might  be 
connected  with  this  performance  is  annihilated  by  the 
fact  that  the  bride  is  so  conducted  against  her  will ;  for 
the  Eskimos  are  mated,  so  to  speak,  while  they  are 
yet  children.  That  is  to  say,  the  parents  of  the  girl  and 
the  parents  of  the  boy  agree  that,  when  the  proper 
time  comes,  their  children  shall  live  together  as  man 
and  wife.  This  agreement,  of  course,  comes  to  the 
knowledge  of  the  boy  and  girl  concerned  while  they 
are  yet  very  young,  and  it  may  be  that  they  grow  up 
to  think  very  much  of  each  other,  and  become  happily 
joined  together;  but  it  may  also  happen  that  the  girl 
will  take  a  hearty  dislike  of  the  choice  made  on  her 
behalf,  and  grow  up  to  thoroughly  hate  and  despise 
him.    All  the  same,  when  he  becomes  old  enough  to 


""ii 


OBSERVATIONS  ON  THE  ESKIMOS. 


225 


maintain  her  by  the  chase,  he  demands  his  property 
as  it  were,  and  she  is  compelled  to  submit,  iiut  we 
must  not  suppose  the  latter  to  have  been  the  case  with 
the  marriage  in  qaestiun. 

It  is  an  error  to  state  that  the  Eskimos  have  no 
chiefs,  or  "Uttericks,"  as  they  call  them.  They  do  not 
dwell  in  large  settlements,  but  in  every  district  the 
number  of  families  dwelling  there  submit  themselves, 
in  many  things,  to  the  ruling  voice  and  advice  of  their 
chief  man,  and  generally  contribute  to  his  support. 
They  are  but  little  governed,  and  never  go  to  war  with 
each  other,  and  seldom  quarrel.  However,  they  are 
not  without  courage.  On  the  Coppermine  and  Mac- 
kenzie rivers,  where  they  sometimes  come  into  col- 
lision witli  the  Indians,  they  fight  fiercely,  and  are 
greatly  dreaded. 

We  must  correct  most  writers  on  the  customs  of 
these  people  in  saying  that  polygamy  is  rare  among 
them.  All  their  head  men  maintain  two  or  three 
wives,  and  it  is  a  sign  of  importance  that  a  man  sup- 
ports more  than  one  wife.  Moreover,  they  often  sepa- 
rate, the  man  finding  anoth^^r  wife  and  the  woman  an- 
other husband. 

Their  courtship  and  marriage  are  very  simple.  -They 
have  only  to  do  a  limited  amount  of  courting,  and  at 
a  very  early  age — say  ten  or  eleven  for  the  girl,  and 
twelve  or  thirteen  for  the  boy — before  they  dwell  to- 
gether as  man  and  wife.  There  is  neither  marriage 
nor  burial  ceremony  among  the  unchristianized  Es- 
kimos.   All  is  simplicity,  and  very  unromantic. 

The  whole  Eskimo  population  of  the  world  is  put 
down  at  forty  thousand.  It  is  probably  less.  There 
are,  perhaps,  not  more  than  ten  thousand  between 
Cape  Chidley  on  the  north  Atlantic  and  Alaska;  cer- 
tainly not  over  fifteen  thousand. 

They  remain  for  the  most  part  pretty  .close  to  the 
shores.  Even  on  hunting  expeditions  they  follow 
some  coast.  On  the  eastern  side  of  the  continent  they 
extend  southward  to  the  fiftieth  parallel  of  latitude, 


226 


THE  GOLDEN  NORTH. 


while  on  the  western  side  they  are  seldom  found  south 
of  the  sixtieth,  on  the  eastern  shore  of  Berinr^'s  Strait. 
On  the  shores  of  Hudson's  Bay,  55  north  latitude,  is 
their  southern  limit. 

Throughout  this  vast  domain  no  other  tribes  in- 
tervene, except  in  two  places  on  the  western  shore, 
where  Kennayan  and  Uglange  Indians  come  down  to 
the  sea  for  purposes  of  fishing.  Rink  divides  them 
into  the  following  groups: 

1.  The  East  Greenland  Eskimos,  few  in  number, 
every  year  advancing  further  south. 

2.  The  West  Greenland  Eskimo,  civilized,  living  un- 
der Danish  rule,  and  extending  from  Cape  Farewell 
to  74  north  latitude. 

3.  The  Arctic  Eskimos,  living  in  the  neighborhood 
of  Smith's,  Whale,  Murchison's  and  Wolstenholme 
sounds,  not,  within  the  memory  of  man,  having  any 
intercourse  with  those  residing  south  of  them.  They 
are  very  isolated  and  have  greatly  diminished  in  num- 
bers of  late  years.  These  Eskimos  did  not  until  very 
recently  possess  the  kayak — skin-covered  canoe — nor 
the  uomiak,  or  open  skin  boat;  nor  the  bow  and  ar- 
row. They  are  bold  hunters,  pagans,  and  are  thor- 
oughly typical  Eskimos.  There  are  at  present  about 
300  of  these  people,  and  one  authority  says  that  they 
have  begun  to  increase  in  numbers  again. 

4.  The  Labrador  Eskimos,  mostly  civilized. 

5.  The  Eskimos  of  the  interior,  occupying  the  coasts 
of  Hudson's  Bay,  Hudson's  Strait,  and  westward  to 
Barter  Island,  beyond  the  Mackenzie  River,  inhabiting 
a  stretch  of  country  2,000  miles  long  and  800  miles 
wide. 

6.  The  Western  Eskimos,  from  Barter  Island  to  the 
western  shores  of  America.  These  differ  somewhat 
from  the  others  in  their  habits  and  style  of  dress,  and 
they  are  allied  to  certain  Indian  tribes  in  Alaska. 

7.  The  Asiatic  Eskimos,  different  altogether  from 
those  of  America,  with  whom  they  have  no  connection 
whatever. 


:'?i4"T.Wl"  '"  "~ 


*m  m-itwm  fiu,  '^^,i*rif 


OBSERVATIONS  ON  THE  ESKIMOS 


227 


First,  as  to  their  appearance.  They  are  not  a  very 
small  race.  Their  height  is  about  five  feet  eight  inches 
or  five  feet  ten  inches,  sometimes  six  feet,  but  rarely; 
but  their  style  of  dress  makes  them  look  smaller  than 
they  are.  Both  men  and  women  are  muscular  and 
active,  having  pleasant,  good-natured  faces.  Some- 
times they  are  handsome.  They  are  sure  to  "grin"  on 
the  slightest  provocation. 

Their  faces  are  oval,  broad  and  flat,  with  fat  cheeks. 
The  forehead  is  not  high,  and  quite  retreating.  The: 
teeth  are  good,  but  owing  to  the  character  of  their  food 
are  worn  down  to  the  gums  by  the  time  they  have 
reached  old  age.  Their  noses  are  flat,  generally,  but 
not  always.  Their  eyes  are  small,  black  and  bright. 
Their  heads  are  large  and  covered  with  coarse,  black 
hair,  which  the  women  generally  keep  in  braids,  or 
dress  into  a  top-knot  on  their  crowns;  the  men  clip 
their  hair  in  front  and  allow  it  to  fly  loose  behind.  The 
men  have  a  slight  mustache  and  insignificant  whiskers. 
The  skin,  when  cleaned  of  grease  and  smoke,  is  only 
so  slightly  brown  that  red  shows  readily  in  the  cheeks, 
especially  of  the  women  and  children. 

They  soon  age,  and  seldom  live  to  be  over  sixty. 
Their  hands  and  feet  are  small  and  well-formed,  and 
as  a  rule  they  are  better  looking  than  the  best  of  the 
Indians.  The  men,  woirien  and  children  dress  entirely 
in  skins  of  the  seal,  reindeer,  bear,  dog,  and  even  fox ; 
but  the  first  two  greatly  predominate.  The  men  and 
women  dress  much  the  same.  The  jacket  of  the  men 
has  a  hood  which,  in  coid  weather,  is  used  to  cover  the 
head,  leaving  only  the  face  exposed.  This  jacket  must 
be  drawn  on  over  the  head,  as  it  has  no  opening  either 
in  front  or  behind.  The  women's  jacket  has  a  fur-lined 
"amowt,"  or  large  hood,  for  carrying  a  child,  and  a 
very  absurd-looking  tail  behind,  which  is  generally 
trimmed. 

The  trousers  are  usually  'astened  into  the  tops  of 
boots  well  made  from  prepared  sealskin.  The  wom- 
en's trousers    are   nearly   always   ornamented    with 


I 


a. 


22S 


THE  GOLDEN  NORTH. 


I 


eider  duck's  necks  or  embroidery  of  beads,  or  other 
decorations.  In  the  winter  t^'ey  wear  two  suits  of 
clothes,  boots,  trousers,  jacket  and  all,  one  with  the 
fur  out,  and  the  other,  that  worn  next  the  body,  with 
the  fur  turned  in.  They  also  sometimes  wear  shirts  of 
bird-skins,  and  stockings  under  their  boots  of  dog  or 
young  reindeer  skin,  but  this  is  noticeable  oi  'y  in  the 
case  of  chiefs. 

Their  clothes,  like  all  other  articles  of  Eskimo  manu- 
facture, are  very  neatly  made,  fit  perfectly,  and  are 
sewed  with  "sinew-thread"  and  a  bone  needle,  if  a  steel 
one  cannot  be  had.  In  person  they  are  usually  filthy, 
and  never  wash  themselves.  The  children,  when  very 
young,  are  sometimes  cleaned  by  being  licked  with 
their  mother's  tongue  before  being  put  into  the  bag 
of  feathers,  which  serves  them  as  bed,  cradle  and  blan- 
kets, when  they  are  lucky  enough  to  have  such  bags, 
they  being  more  generally  consigned  to  the  "amowt," 
without  clothing  of  any  kind. 

In  summer  the  EsKimos  live  in  conical  skin  tents, 
and  in  winter  in  half  underground  huts  (igloos)  builf 
of  stone,  turf,  earth,  etc.,  entered  by  a  long  tunnel-like 
passage  which  can  only  be  traversed  on  all  fours. 
Sometimes  they  erect  neat  dwellings  from  blocks  of 
snow,  with  a  sheet  of  ice  for  a  window.  These  are 
comfortable  only  .in  cold  weather.  As  soon  as  the 
soft  weather  of  spring  comes  they  begin  to  leak  and 
are  deserted. 

In  their  dwellings  one  will  always  find  a  stone  lamp, 
the  flames  of  which,  being  fed  by  oil  through  a  wick  of 
moss,  supply  both  heat  and  light.  On  one  side  of  the 
tent  is  the  bed  or  lounge  where,  on  innumerable  skins 
of  all  kinds,  they  sleep  and  lay  around  day  and  night. 
The  floor  is  usually  very  filthy,  being  often  defiled  by  a 
pool  of  blood  or  the  carcass  of  a  seal. 

These  tents  or  huts  are  always  surrounded  by  a  host 
of  wolf-like  dogs.  These,  in  summer,  sleep  outside, 
but  in  winter  in  the  huts,  or  in  the  passages  leading  to 
them.    Sometimes  one  hut  or  tent  accommodates  two 


OBSERVATIONS  ON  THE  ESKIMOS. 


229 


or  three  families,  but  more  often  each  family  will  have 
a  dwelling  by  itself. 

They  are  exclusively  hunters  and  fishers,  and  derive 
nearly  the  whole  of  their  subsistence  from  the  sea. 
They  use  no  vegetables,  and  live  exclusively  upon  the 
flesh  of  animals  and  fish.  The  seal  and  other  oil-bear- 
ing animals,  the  reindeer,  the  polar  bear,  supply  them 
with  food,  clothing,  fuel  and  light,  and  frequently  also, 
when  driftwood  is  scarce,  the  material  for  various 
articles  of  domestic  economy. 

The  shuttle-shaped  kayak,  covered  with  hairless 
seal-skin,  usually  stretched  on  a  wooden  frame,  is 
sometimes  made  on  a  frame  of  bones  from  the  walrus, 
or  of  horns  from  the  reindeer. 

One  of  the  most  attractive  features  of  Eskimo  life 
is  the  kayak.  What  the  canoe  is  to  the  Indian,  the 
kayak  is  to  the  husky  denizen  of  the  north.  They  are 
not  the  sam.e  in  shape,  nor  in  construction,  nor  in  any- 
thing else,  except  in  weight,  and  in  the  dangers  to 
which  a  greenhorn  is  exposed  in  attempting  to  navi- 
gate them.  In  shape  they  are  similar  to  an  old-fash- 
ioned weaver's  shuttle,  and  draw  less  water  than  the 
ordinary  canoe.  They  are  about  thirty  feet  long,  not 
more  than  two  feet  from  top  to  bottom  at  the  center, 
and  about  thirty  inches  wide  at  the  same  point.  The 
top  is  straight  from  forward  point  to  stern  point,  ex- 
cept that  from  the  center  to  the  ends  each  way  they 
gradually  oecome  narrower,  until  at  the  points  the 
width  is  not  over  two  or  three  inches;  and  from  the 
center,  each  way  toward  the  ends,  and  toward  the  top 
as  well,  the  bottom  slants  upwards  and  outwards,  until 
at  the  points  the  thickness  is  about  two  inches.  It  is 
fiat  at  the  bottom,  but  much  narrower  than  at  the  top. 
There  is  a  round  hole  at  the  top,  at  the  center,  formed 
by  a  hoop,  to  which  the  sealskin  is  attached.  The  Es- 
kimo sits  in  this  hole,  with  his  feet  stretched  out  toward 
the  forward  end  and  his  head  '  r. !  shoulders  above  it. 
The  Eskimo  in  his  kayak  is  ^^  .orally  covered  with  a 
waterproof  entrail  dress,  tightly  fastened  around  the 


230 


TkE  GOLDEN  NORTH. 


mouth  of  the  hole  in  which  he  sits ;  so  that,  should  tK . 
craft  overturn,  which  sometimes  happens,  not  a  drop 
of  water  will  enter.  A  skillful  kayaker  can  turn  a  com- 
plete somersault,  kayak  and  all,  through  the  water. 

It  is  a  sight  to  see  an  Eskimo  lightmg  a  walrus  in 
one  of  these  kayaks.  The  latter  invariably  attempts 
to  pierce  the  kayak  with  his  tusks;  but  when  he  makes 
the  venture,  in  his  foolhardy  courage,  he  not  only  fails 
to  succeed,  the  little  craft  being  too  nimble  in  the  water 
to  give  him  any  chance,  but  receives  a  harpoon  in  his 
side,  or  is  pierced  to  the  heart  with  a  deadly  lance. 
With  a  buoy  attached  to  the  carcass  to  keep  his  prize 
from  sinking,  the  hunter  paddles  it  in  tow  to  the  shore. 

The  natives  use  but  one  paddle  in  the  kayak;  but 
it  is  not  the  same  as  that  used  by  the  Indians  in  the 
canoe.  It  is  a  double  paddle;  that  is  to  say,  both  ends 
are  flattened,  and,  in  paddling,  first  one  end  is  used 
and  then  the  other,  on  one  side  and  the  other  alter- 
nately. The  central  portion  of  the  paddle  is  round, 
and  the  water  is  prevented  from  running  down  on  the 
hands,  as  the  instrument  is  used,  by  pieces  of  skin 
which  are  placed  tightly  r.  and  at  tie  proper  places. 
A  new  beginner  will  have  some  trouble  in  navigating 
the  kayak,  and  it  will  be  well  for  him,  at  f  %  to  keep 
in  shallow  water.  It  tips  over  with  the  slij  -t  provo- 
cation, and,  as  you  cannot  extricate  youracn  irom  the 
hole  without  some  little  difficulty,  and  are  precipitated 
into  the  water  head  first,  it  becomes  a  matter  of  im- 
portance that  you  either  know  how  to  balance  yourself 
properly,  or  are  prepared  for  a  plunge  bath.  One  of 
our  party,  in  making  the  attempt,  went  over  head  first 
into  ten  fathoms  of  water;  but,  as  he  was  a  good  swim- 
mer, he  soon  managed  to  kick  himself  loose  and  take 
refuge  in  a  neighboring  boat.  It  does  not  take  long, 
however,  to  learn  to  handle  one,  and  we  would  rec- 
ommend kayak  clubs  as  a  means  of  healthy  amuse- 
ment for  young  Americans. 


NATURES  NEWEST  LAND. 


231 


CHAPTER  XXXVII. 

NATURE'S  NEWEST  LAND. 

Wonders  of  the  new  north — Product  of  natural  laws  for  the 
last  one  thousand  years— Specific  work  ot  glaciers — New 
areas  for  many  millions— Probable  gold  and  other 
products — Hard  times  to  disappear  as  dew  before  an 
advancing  sun. 

We  are  nearing  the  completion  of  this  work,  and 
must  now  speak  of  the  probable  future  of  the  Golden 
North  Land.  Gold  mining  is  already  the  pioneer  in- 
dustry, and  it  must  be  through  the  excitements  and 
push  of  this  enterprise  that  the  great  resources  of  the 
far  north  will  become  known  and  developed.  The 
thirst  and  search  for  gold  will, carry  a  vast  population 
to  parallels  above  the  fifty-fifth  and  sixtieth,  but  when 
the  rich  deposits  of  the  yellow  metal  have  given  up 
the  bulk  of  their  treasure,  which  wii'  probably  not  be 
realized  for  more  than  two  generaUons,  those  high 
latitudes  will  not  Y  deserted.  Otner  richer  and  pos- 
sibly more  permanent  resources  will  hold  a  mighty 
population  there  for  all  time  to  come.  * 

One  of  the  most  remarkable  characteristics  of  the 
north — one  pre-eminently  for  the  solution  of  scien- 
tists— is  that,  with  every  succeeding  century,  the  cli- 
mate and  soil  become  better  adapted  to  the  habitation 
and  pursuits  of  man.  It  has  been  estimated  that,  on 
an  average,  soil  and  vegetation,  forests,  and  in  their 
train,  cereal  capabilities,  are  marching  upward  across 
the  parallels  of  latitude  at  the  rate  of  considerably  over 
a  hundred  miles  in  a  century, 

The  author  has  traveled  across  the  continent,  above 
and  below  the  sixtieth  parallel,  from  the  Atlantic  to 
the  Rocky  Mountains,  touching  the  Hudson's  Bay 
trading  pOi.:c  en  the  following  chain,  and  at  each  point 
named,  the  same  story  was  told  by  those  in  charge,  to 


Mi 


232 


THE  GOLDEN  NORTH. 


wit:  That  the  soil  is  every  year  increasing  in  its  depth 
and  capabilities,  the  climate  gradually  improving,  and 
forest  resources  rapidly  developing.  Starting  at  Nach- 
vak,  on  the  Upper  Labrador,  nearly  up  to  the  sixtieth 
parallel,  v.  j.  learn  from  the  traders  that  while,  lOO  years 
ago  the  largest  specimens  of  tamarac  and  spruce  were 
not  more  than  four  feet  liigh,  and  that  these  bushes 
were  scarce  at  that,  to-day  Nachvak  inlet,  from  the 
Hudson's  Bay  trading  post,  which  is  twenty  miles 
from  the  coast,  up  the  river  for  a  long  distance  there 
is  an  abundance  of  forest  trees  from  six  to  fifteen  inches 
at  the  butt,  and  from  twenty  to  fifty  feet  in  height, 
some  of  them  much  higher.  The  garden  at  the  trading 
post  now  produces  quite  a  variety  of  vegetables, 
whereas,  a  century  back,  Httle  or  nothing  in  that  line 
could  be  cuHivated. 

These  remarks  will  apply  with  equal,  and  in  most 
cases,  far  greater  force,  o  Fort  Chimo  at  the  head  of 
Ungava  Bay;  to  Fort  George,  at  the  mouth  of  Big 
River  on  the  east  main  coast  of  Hudson's  Bay;  to 
Moose  Factory,  at  the  mouth  of  Albany  River,  on 
Tames'  Bay;  to  Fort  Severn,  at  the  mouth  of  the  river 
of  that  name  on  the  southwest  shore  of  Hudson's 
Bay ;  :o  Fort  York  and  Fort  Churchill,  on  the  western 
shor^i  of  the  same  bay;  tc)  Fort  Chippewyan,  on  Lake 
Athab*asca;  to  Fort  Resolution  on  Great  Slave  Lake; 
to  Fort  Providence,  on  the  western '  extreme  of  the 
same  lake;  to  Fort  Franklin,  or*  Great  Bear  Lake;  and 
to  Fort  Simpson,  and  even  to  Fort  Normal),  pn  the 
Mackenzie  River. 

The  rr tural  laws  under  which  Providence  is  pushing 
back  the  cold  of  the  north  towards  the  pole,  and  ex- 
tending the  regions  for  man's  profitable  occupancy,  do 
not  yet  appear  to  be  fully  understood.  Many  trav'elers 
of  the  far  north,  some  of  them  men  of  scientific  at- 
tainments, contend  that  there  is  a  very  slow  and  almo.st 
imperceptible  revolution  of  the  earth  from  north  to 
south,  bt^t  meteorological  phenomena  in  the  south, 
which,  however,  is  not  very  fully  understood,  scarcely 


NATURE'S  NEWEST  LAND. 


233 


warrants  sucli  a  theory.  We  leave  this  question  to 
those  better  able  to  grapple  with  it.  However,  the 
facts  are  as  we  state  them.  Northern  thermal  limits 
are  moving  northward,  and  forests,  vegetation  and 
agricultural  possibilities  follow  closely  upon  these  ad- 
'.   acing  limits.    Why  and  wherefore,  we  know  not. 

Many  learned  men  talk  strangely  about  "glacial 
periods."  Much  of  this  appears  to  be  absurd  to  those 
who  visit  and  commune  with  the  glaciers  ui  the  far 
north.  Far  too  much  is  charged  up  to  glaciers.  At 
any  rate  that  is  the  belief  of  the  author.  It  would  seem 
that  glaciers  are  simply  river  builders,  and  when  they 
have  accomplished  this  tisk,  they  depart  for  tropical 
seas  where  they  are  dissolved. 

It  must  be  a  mistake  to  suppose  that  there  was  any 
soil  or  vegetation  on  the  solid  formation  of  the  great 
North  American  plain,  which  now  comprises  the 
Mississippi  basin,  when  monster  glaciers  chiseled  out 
the  channels  of  the  Father  of  Waters,  and  its  princi- 
pal tributaries.  Icebergs  seldom,  if  ever— we  think 
never — v/ork  in  latitudes  where  they  can  be  dissolved 
before  reaching  the  ocean.  Natural  laws  do  not  oper- 
ate in  such  a  futile  way.  Under  such  circumstances  a 
glacier  would  sink  into  dissolution  with  its  task  but 
half  done. 

It  is  more  reasonable  to  suppose  that  at  some  period 
in  the  past  a  line  drawn  due  west  from  the  site  of  New 
York  City  to  that  of  San  Francisco,  travels  2d  the  most 
northern  habitable  limit  of  the  continent.  Existing 
prehistoric  remains  support  this  theory.  Glaciers  are 
drainage  constructors.  They  prepare  the  natural 
drainage  systems  of  the  earth's  surface,  and  make 
ready  the  barren  areas,  for  the  coming  of  soil  and 
T  :getation,  and,  if  one  will  look  at  the  great  river 
systems  of  this  continent,  he  will  conclude  that  they 
do  their  work  well,  lea  mg  it  in  such  a  ,state  of  per- 
fection that  the  hand  of  man  finds  it  quite  easy  to 
carry  it  forward  to  suit  his  necessities.  When  a  mighty 
glacier  has  chiseled  out  a  deep  channel  four  or  six  or 

16 


•.'•,1 


THE  GOLDEN  NORTH. 


ten  or  fifty  or  500  miles  long,  and  enters  the  sea,  the 
track  left  behind  is  called  an  inlet.  When  it  has,  later 
on,  become  bordered  with  soil  and  forests,  it  is  called  a 
river. 

These  hints  give  a  nev/  interest  to  the  north  land. 
it  is  a  country  of  great  resources  already,  and  with 
each  succeeding  generation  it  will  improve  in  this  re- 
spect. There  is  wealth  enough  in  its  auriferous  regions 
to  make  a  million  persons  rich,  and  its  greater  alluvial 
areas  will,  in  the  not  far  distant  future,  support  a  vast 
population,  who  will  become  rich  in  supplying  the 
world's  markets  with  bread,  and  meat,  and  butter  and 
cheese,  and  other  soil  products. 

The  gold  deposits  of  the  far  north  are  nearly,  if  not 
quite,  inexhaustible.  Long  before  the  rich  placer  gold 
regions  have  been  gone  over  or  even  explored,  quartz 
gold  mines  of  great  richness  will  be  opened  and  profit- 
ably worked,  and  while  the  gold  is  being  taken  from 
the  earth,  during  the  next  few  years,  many  thousands 
will  go  to  that  country.  Some  will  grow  rich  in  the 
transportation  business;  others  in  mining  and  selling 
coal;  thousands  will  gain  wealth  in  silver  and  other 
minerals;  forests  which  invite  sawmills  will  yield  up 
their  treasures ;  the  carpenter  and  builder  and  plumber 
and  gasfitter  will  leave  overcrowded  industries  in 
these  older  cities  to  find  profitable  employment  in  the 
north ;  merchandising  will  be  a  means  of  gr^^p.t  gains  in 
that  land  of  high  latitudes;  the  blacksmith  and  the 
machinist  will  thrive  tliere;  so  will  the  baker  and  the 
barber ;  the  hotel,  restaurant  and  boardinghouse  keep- 
er will  flourish;  and,  later  on,  horse  and  cattle  ranch- 
men, with  their  herds  on  the  plains  to  the  east  of  the 
mountains,  will  enter  upon  av  era  of  wonderful  pros- 
perity, to  be  closely  followed  dy  the  agriculturist,  who 
will  enjoy  even  greater  gains. 

It  will  be  from  the  development  of  these  resources, 
more  than  from  anything  else,  that  general  prosperity 
will  return  to  the  United  States.  That  wonderfully  rich 
north  land  will,  it  is  believed  by  some,  produce  gold. 


NATURES  NEWEST  LAND. 


most  of  which  will  be  coined  into  money  and  put  in 
circulation  in  the  United  States,  in  about  the  extent 
and  ratio  represente-l  by  the  following  diagram: 


189*7 

$5,000,000 


1898 

$15,000,000 


1900 

$45,000,000 


1901 

$100,000,000 


1902 

$200,000,000 


1903 

$300,000,000 


1904 

400,000,000 


5  9r  J 

$500,000  000 


1906 

$800,000,000 


1907 

$700,000,000 


k 


Possible  Ten  Year,  $2,865,000,000  Product. 


»iw-i."f"-,_i;'r-T,j';i-'-H.  >•*'_. \>  •'\}!Jii!.?.^ 


236 


THE  GOLDEN  NORTH. 


If  this  enthusiastic  forecast  is  half  realized,  there  will 
be  no  scarcity  of  money  in  this  country,  and  million^ 
aires  will  spring  up  among  the  common  people  every- 
where. Hard  times  will  disappear  as  dew  before  an  r  s- 
cending  sun.  The  silver  agitator  will  "lose  his  useful- 
ness," and  the  days  of  the  socialist  crank  and  the  an- 
archist will  come  to  a  close  in  this  country. 

It  is  within  the  bounds  of  solid  facts  to  say  that  two 
good  miners  working  together  can  produce  $10,000 
each  in  the  gold  regions  of  the  far  north  annually.  This 
may  be  regarded  as  a  minimum  average.  Then  why 
should  people  starve  or  suffer  in  these  lower  latitudes. 
Listen  to  the  clanging  of  the  Klondike  bells!  Buckle 
on  the  armor  for  battle  with  the  snows  and  frosts  and 
mosquitoes  of  the  north ;  endure  hardships  for  a  season 
or  two,  and  peace  and  plenty  will  probably  be  your  lot 
thereafter. 


«1 

if 


GOLD  OUTPUT  OF  THE  WORLD. 


^Sf 


CHAPTER  XXXVIII. 

GOLD  OUTPUT  OF  THE  WORLD. 

Great  Increase  of  1897  over  1896— Probable  stability  of  the 
gold  product  of  the  Klondike — Influence  of  increased 
gold  supply  on  silver— Gold  monometallism  likely  to  be 
continued — Views  of  Director  Preston  of  the  United 
States  Mint. 

We  have  at  hand  some  valuable  statistics  from  R.  E. 
Preston,  director  of  the  United  States  Mint,  at  Wash- 
ington, D.  C.  He  gives  the  probable  output  of  gold 
for  1897,  and  a  very  valuable  contribution  to  gold 
statistics  generally..  His  article  which  recently  was 
printed  in  the  New  York  Herald  is  as  follows: 

"That  gold  exists  in  large  quantities  in  the  newly 
discovered  Klondike  district  is  sufficiently  proved  by 
the  large  amount  brought  out  by  the  steamship  com- 
panies and  miners  returning  to  the  United  States  who 
went  into  the  district  within  ^he  last  eighteen  months. 
So  far  $1,500,000  in  gold  from  the  Klondike  district 
has  been  deposited  at  the  mints  and  assay  offices  of  the 
United  States,  and  from  information  now  at  hand,there 
are  substantial  reasons  for  believing  that  from  $3,000,- 
000  to  $4,000,000  additional  will  be  brought  out  by  the 
steamers  and  returning  miners  from  St.  Michael  the 
last  of  September  or  early  October  (1897).  One  of 
the  steamship  companies  states  that  it  expects  to  bring 
out  about  $2,000,000  on  its  steamer  sailing  from  St. 
Michael  September  30  (1897),  and  has  asked  the  gov- 
ernment to  have  a  revenue  cutter  act  as  a  convoy 
through  the  Bering  Sea.  In  view  of  the  facts  above 
stated  I  am  justified  in  estimating  that  the  Klondike 
district  will  augment  the  world's  gold  supply  in  1897 
nearly  $6,000,000. 


238 


THE  GOLDEN  NORTH. 


"The  gold  product  for  the  Dominion  of  Canada  for 
1896,  as  estimated  by  Dr.  G.  M.  Dawson,  director  of 
the  geological  survey  of  that  country,  was  $2,810,000. 
Of  this  sum  the  Yukon  placers,  within  British  territory, 
v^ere  credited  with  a  production  of  $355,000.  The  total 
product  of  that  country  for  1897  has,  therefore,  been 
estimated  at  $10,000,000,  an  increase  over  1896  of'$7,- 
200,000.  From  this  the  richness  of  the  newly  discov- 
ered gold  fields  of  the  Klondike  is  evident. 

"In  this  connection  it  is  important  to  know  what 
will  be  the  probable  increase  in  the  several  countries  of 
the  world,  and  for  the  purpose  of  comparison,  based 
upon  information  received,  the  following  table  of  the 
gold  product  of  the  United  States,  Australia,  Africa, 
Mexico,  the  Dominion  of  Canada,  Russia  and  British 
India  for  1896,  and  the  estimated  product  of  these 
countries  for  1897  is  here  given: 


1896. 

1897. 

Increase. 

United  States  . .  $53,000,000 

$60,000,000 

$7,000,000 

Australia 46,250,000 

52.000,000 

5.750,000 

Africa 44,000,000 

56,000,000 

12,000,000 

Mexico    7,000,000 

9,000.000 

2.000,000 

Dom.  of  Canada      2,810,000 

10,000.000 

7.200.000 

Russia 22,000,000 

25.000,000 

3,000.000 

British  India  ..      5,825,000 

7,000,000 

•       1,175,000 

Totals    $180,885,000 

$219,000,000 

$38,125,000 

"The  world's  gold  product  for  1896  is  estimated  to 
have  been  $205,000,000.  In  justification  of  the  above 
estimate  of  the  increase  in  the  countries  mentioned  I 
may  remark  that  of  the  United  States  is  based  upon 
the  deposits  at  the  mints  and  assay  offices  for  the  first 
six  months  of  the  year,  which  clearly  indicate  a  largely 
increased  production,  and  that  the  increase  for  the  year 
will  aggregate  $7,000,000,  The  gold  product  of  Af- 
rica for  1896  is  estimated  to  have  been  $44,000,000. 
For  the  first  six  months  of  1897  the  output  of  the  Wit- 
watersrandt  mines,  as  shown  by  official  returns,  was 
1*338,43 1  ounces,  an  increase  of  333,928  ounces,  as 


'wsms: _.„ 


^^^Wl 


GOLD  OUTPUT  OF  THE  WORLD. 


239 


compared  with  the  first  six  months  of  1896.  There  is 
no  doubt  that  the  rate  of  production  in  the  Witwater- 
srandt  mines  will  be  maintained  for  the  remainder  of 
the  year,  and  their  output  of  gold  for  1897  will  be  fully 
$12,000,000  greater  than  that  of  1896. 

"The  deposits  of  gold  at  the  Australian  mints  for  the 
first  five  months  of  the  year  cleariy  indicate  a  sub- 
stantial gain  in  1897  over  1896.  Upon  the  basis  of  the 
deposits  for  the  first  five  months  at  the  mints  the  Aus- 
tralian Insurance  nnd  Banking  Record  for  the  month 
of  June  estimates  that  the  gold  product  for  1897  of  the 
several  colonies  will  aggregate  2,700,000  ounces,  of  the 
value  of  $52,550,000.  This  would  be  an  increase  of 
$5*750,000  over  th<  product  of  1896. 

"The  gold  prod,  Jt  of  Mexico  for  1896  is  estimated 
to  have  been  $7,000,000.  The  information  received 
indicates  that  the  product  for  1897  will  approximate 
$9,000,000,  an  increase  of  $2,000,000. 

"The  Russian  product  for  1896  was  $22,000,000; 
for  1897  it  is  estimated  at  $25,000,000,  an  increase  of 
$3,000,000. 

"The  gold  product  of  British  India  for  1896,  from 
official  information  received,  is  estimated  at  $5,825,000. 
The  returns  of  the  mines  for  the  first  six  months  of  1897 
indicate  an  increased  production  over  1896  of  $38,- 
700,000,  and  that  the  world's  product  for  1897  can 
'  srefore  be  estimated  at  not  less  than  $240,000,000. 
X  nere  is  no  doubt  that  the  world's  product  of  gold  will 
continue  to  increase  for  a  number  of  years  to  come, 
as  new  mines  will  be  opened  up  in  all  parts  of  the 
world,  and,  with  improved  appliances  for  mining  and 
methods  of  extra'  ♦^ing  the  gold  contained  in  the  ores, 
I  believe  that  by  the  close  of  the  present  century  the 
world's  gold  product  will  closely  approximate,  if  not 
exceed,  $300,000,000. 

"I  have  spoken  above  of  the  addition  likely  to  be 
made  in  1897  to  the  world's  stock  of  gold  by  the  Klon- 
dike district,  by  the  Transvaal,  by  the  United  States, 
Australia,  Russia,  Mexico,  India,  etc.     Of  all  these 


it.; 


En 


W'^ffK- 


240 


THE  GOLDEN  NORTH. 


gold  producing  countries,  of  course,  the  Klondike  is 
at  present  the  one  of  most  absorbing  interest.  It 
strikes  the  imagination  to-day  as  California  did  the 
minds  of  the  '49ers.  It  will  add  in  1897  possibly  $6,- 
000,000  to  the  gold  treasures  of  the  world. 

"Now  as  to  the  influence  of  such  addition  to  the 
world's  gold.  The  influence  it  will  exert  depends  main- 
ly on  how  many  years  the  Klondike  district  shall  con- 
tinue a  producer  and  how  large  its  annual  increment 
to  the  world's  existing  stock  of  gold  shall  be.  There 
is  every  reason  to  believe  that  Alaska  and  the  ad- 
jacent British  territory  are  possibly  as  rich  in  gold  as 
was  California  or  Australia  when  first  discovered.  I 
have  estimated  that  the  Klondike  district  will  in  1897 
produce  $6,000,000  worth  of  gold.  It  will  add  to  this 
product  from  year  to  year  probably  for  a  minimum  of 
one  or  two  decades.  And  whether  the  gold  comes 
from  American  or  British  territory  is  a  matter  of  in- 
difference, except  to  the  owners,  and,  to  some  extent, 
to  the  countries  producing  it.  The  effect  of  the  increase 
on  the  economic  condition  of  mankind,  on  the  rate  of 
discount,  the  rate  of  interest,  the  rate  of  wages,  on 
prices  and  on  monetary  policies,  of  a  newly  discovered 
gold  field  of  wonderful  richness  is  the  same,  whether 
the  field  be  located  in  American,  British  or  Chinese 
territory. 

"Now,  the  first  influence  that  the  n^w  addition  to 
the  world's  existing  stock  of  gold  will  have  will  be  felt 
by  silver.  In  fact,  it  has  already  been  felt  by  it.  Gold 
is  the  natural  competitor — we  might  always  say  an- 
tagonist— of  silver  as  a  monetary  medium,  and  every 
ounce  of  gold  newly  placed  on  the  market  deprives 
from  17  1-2  to  35  ounces  of  silver  of  a  possible  employ- 
ment as  money  that  it  might  have.  I  say  this  because 
gold,  weight  for  weight,  is  now  worth  thirty-six  and 
six  tenths  times  as  much  silver,  and  because,  at  most, 
half  of  the  gold  discovered  finds  industrial  employ- 
ment. 
The  new  additions  to  the  world's  stock  of  gold, 


•^'r%.!j.9^  ffj;j.,«  i^l'V.I'T"  -T-""  TV'™^'^ '~'''": 


'WFPII' ' 


I  •.■fl'»r.'T7,w^i'i 


GOLD  OUTPUT  OF  THE  WORLD. 


241 


« 


whether  they  come  from  the  Klondike,  Cripple  Creek, 
or  the  Transvaal,  from  India,  Australia,  or  Russia, 
will  render  bimetallism  by  the  United  States  alone 
more  difficult  and  more  improbable  than  ever,  and  will 
even  seriously  imperil  the  slender  chances  that  in- 
ternational bimetallism  now  has. 

"Bimetallists  have  long  been  asking  the  question 
where  the  gold  is  to  be  found  that  is  to  take  the  place 
of  the  silver  demonetized.  The  discoveries  at  Cripple 
Creek,  in  the  Transvaal,  and  on  the  Klondike  are  a  suf- 
ficient answer  to  this  question.  The  mines  of  the  world 
have  been  turning  out  gold  of  late  years  in  greater  pro- 
fusion than  ever  before.  The  year  1893  marks  an 
epoch  in  this  respect.  In  the  report  of  the  director  of 
the  mint  upon  the  production  of  the  precious  metals 
in  the  United  States  during  the  calendar  year  1893, 
I  called  attention  to  the  fact  that  the  world's  output  of 
gold  in  that  year  was  the  largest  in  history,  amounting 
to  $155,522,000,  and  that  it  was  16.08  per  cent  greater 
than  the  annual  average  of  the  period  of  the  greatest 
productiveness  of  the  Californian  and  Australian  gold 
mines. 

"And  in  the  report  of  the  same  series  of  the  calendar 
year  1894, 1  remarked  that  the  value  of  the  world's  pro- 
duction of  gold  in  that  year  not  only  equaled  the  aver- 
age value  of  both  gold  and  silver  in  the  period  of  1861- 
1865,  but  exceeded  it  by  $11,204,600,  and  that  the 
probability  expressed  by  me  in  1893  that  the  value  of 
the  world's  output  of  gold  in  1895  and  1896  would 
equal  that  of  both  metals  in  the  years  immediately  pre- 
ceding the  beginning  of  the  depreciation  of  silver  had 
been  changed  into  a  certainty  by  the  events  of  1894, 
since  the  average  annual  yield  of  gold  and  silver  of  all 
countries  in  the  period  1866- 1873  exceeded  that  of  gold 
alone  in  1894  by  less  than  $11,000,000.  If  the  pro- 
duction of  gold  in  1897  reaches  that  figure,  which  I 
confidently  believe  it  will,  of  $240,000,000,  it  will  ex- 
ceed the  average  yearly  value  of  both  the  gold  and  sil- 
ver product  of  the  world  for  the  period  of  eight  years — 

16 


T^ 


-^    f--1 


mm 


■ 


242 


THE  GOLDEN  NORTH. 


1866  to  1873 — which  just  preceded  the  beginning  of 
the  depreciation  of  silver,  viz.,  $190,831,000— by  over 
$50,000,000. 

"Leaving  out  of  consideration,  therefore,  the  in- 
dustrial employment  of  the  two  metals,  the  world  now 
annually  produces  in  gold  alone  some  $50,000,000 
more  for  monetary  uses  than  it  did  in  both  gold  and  sil- 
ver during  the  eight  years  (on  an  average)  that  pre- 
ceded the  beginning  of  the  depreciation  of  the  latter 
metal. 

"On  the  supposition  that  silver  has  entirely  ceased 
to  be  coined,  the  world  is  richer  in  1897  in  material  for 
the  coinage  of  full  legal  tender  or  standard  money  than 
it  was  at  any  former  period  of  the  world's  history,  and 
the  indications  are  that  it  will  grow  richer  in  this  re- 
spect in  every  succeeding  year  for  decades  to  come. 

"Hence  my  belief  that  the  first  effect  of  the  new  ad- 
ditions of  gold  to  the  stock  already  in  existence  will  be 
an  effect  detrimental  to  bimetallism,  whether  national 
or  international.  There  are  some,  I  know,  who  think 
that  the  increased  production  of  gold  will  have  the  con- 
trary effect,  and  that  it  will  lead  to  the  remonetiza- 
tion  of  silver.  They  base  their  argument  on  this,  that 
the  increased  production  of  gold  will  be  followed  by  a 
depreciation  of  its  value.  This  might  be  if  the  new 
demand  for  gold  did  not  increase  more  rapidly  than 
the  supply.  But  the  former  is  likely  to  exceed  the  lat- 
ter. 

"There  is,  in  fact,  at  the  present  time,  no  limit  to  the 
demand  for  gold.  The  tendency  of  nations  is  toward 
the  single  gold  standard.  Apart  from  the  United 
States,  there  is  not,  I  believe,  a  country  on  the  face  of 
the  earth  that  would  pot  adopt  gold  monometallism  if 
it  had  the  ability  to  do  so,  with  silver  as  a  subsidiary 
or  token  coinage.  There  is  not  a  country  in  Europe 
with  any  full  legal  tender  silver  coins  but  would  re- 
place them  with  gold  coins  i?  it  could  do  so  without  too 
great  a  sacrifice.  Germany  would  gladly  put  $100,000,- 
000  in  circulation,  instead  of  its  silver  thalers.    France 


p«ppiif^^^^r'ww*.»'wi«w»"'  .upi«"i;  'm 


Bwppp|ppij||^iiii  "  ^m^mm|^^^^^!m^l9m!|mmmmmi| 


GOLD  OUTPUT  OF  THE  WORLD. 


243 


and  all  the  countries  of  the  Latin  Union  would  replace 
their  full  legal  tender  5-franc  pieces  by  gold  could  they 
easily  get  it.  Russia's  demand  for  gold  is  unbounded. 
Austria-Hungary  cannot  get  enough,  and  so  of  every 
other  country  in  Europe.  Japan  wants  gold  now  that 
it  has  adopted  the  gold  standard.  Even  China  shows 
an  incUnation  to  follow  the  example  of  its  conqueror, 
but  that,  of  course,  is  out  of  the  question.  All  South 
America  is  crying  for  gold.  Chili  wants  it,  Colombia 
wants  it,  Peru  wants  it.  Venezuela  has  some  but  Vv^ants 
more.  Central  America  wants  it.  Even  Mexico,  the 
last  stronghold  of  silver,  is  feeling  the  burdensome- 
ness  of  its  present  system  in  the  height  of  its  rate  of  ex- 
change. 

''More  than  this.  The  nations  of  Europe  want  gold, 
not  only  as  currency,  but  as  war  material,  for  they 
have  come  to  understand  that  gold — gold,  not  all  kinds 
of  money — is  the  sinew  of  war.  Germany  has  a  gold 
fund  locked  up  in  a  fortress,  and  the  accumulations  of 
that  metal  made  by  other  governments,  ostensibly  for 
different  purposes,  are  really  only  so  much  war  ma- 
terial, which  the  nations  of  Europe  can  no  more  dis- 
pense with  than  they  can  with  a  standing  army  or  a 
navy.  And  where  no  such  fund  can  be  actually  pointed 
to,  as  in  England,  there  is  felt  the  confidence  that  it 
can  be  had  at  any  time  on  the  credit  of  the  nation. 
Then  it  must  be  remembered  that  all  great  loans  are 
now  made  and  must  be  made  in  gold.  Only  homo 
loans  are  made  in  any  other  medium.  This  disposes 
of  the  contention  that  there  is  likely  to  be  any  depre- 
ciation in  the  value  of  gold  consequent  on  the  increased 
supply. 

"Will  the  new  additions  to  the  gold  stock  of  the 
world  have  any  effect  on  prices?  Should  the  increase 
of  the  world's  production  due  to  the  yield  of  gold  in 
the  Klondike  district,  as  well  as  in  the  Transvaal,  be 
any  way  rear  as  large  as  that  due  to  the  mines  of  Cal- 
ifornia and  Australia  in  the  years  immediately  succeed- 
ing the  discovery  of  the  metal  in  those  countries,  it 


■ 


I ' 


lei 


244 


THE  GOLDEN  NORTH. 


probably  will,  in  time,  especially  if  the  new  additions 
be^r  the  same  proportion  to  the  already  existing  stock 
of  gold  in  the  world  as  did  those  of  California  and  Aus- 
tralia. But  any  increase  of  prices  that  may  thereby  be 
caused  will  be  gradual  and  may  not  be  noticed  for  some 
years  to  come.  It  cannot  be  noticed  until  gold  begins 
to  depreciate  in  value,  and  of  that  there  is  no  present 
prospect. 

"Shortly  after  the  discovery  of  gold  in  California 
and  Australia  there  was  a  very  marked  rise  in  the  gen- 
eral level  of  prices,  which  writers  on  the  subject  have 
generally  attributed  to  the  decline  of  the  value  of  gold 
at  that  time.  French  Publicists  were  the  first  to  call 
attention  to  this  phenomenon.  This  was  in  1851,  1852 
and  1853.  Chevalier  wrote  about  it  in  1857.  In  1857 
another  eminent  French  writer  published  a  book  en- 
titled "The  Question  of  Gold,"  in  which  he  showc' •  the 
greatness  of  the  rise,  and  the  consequences,  favorable 
or  otherwise,  which  it  might  have  for  individuals  or 
for  states.  The  following  year  Chevalier  took  up  the 
subject  anew  and  endeavored  to  forecast  the  commer- 
cial and  social  effects  which  the  decline  of  gold  might 
have  in  the  future.  In  England  several  statisticians 
noticed  the  same  depreciation  about  the  same  time. 
Newmarch  and  Macculloch  doubted  it.  But  in  i^'^z 
Stanley  Jevons  demonstrated  it  in  his  essay,  'A  Sc. '  ^^ 
Fall  in  the  Value  of  Gold  Ascertained  and  Its  Social 
Effects  Set  Forth.'  Ten  years  later  De  Foville,  after  a 
long  and  laborious  investigation,  came  also  to  the  con- 
clusion that  there  had  been  a  decrease  in  the  purchas- 
ing power  of  money. 

"While  the  value  of  gold  was  thus  declining  there 
was  a  sudden  and  extraordinary  increase  in  the  supply 
of  the  metal.  From  1831  to  1840  the  annual  produ:tion 
had  not  exceeded,  on  an  average,  20,289  kilogiam.»,  or 
$13,484,000.  From  1841  to  1850,  after  the  rich  aurifer- 
ous deposits  of  the  Ural,  and  especially  of  Siberia,  had 
begun  to  be  worked,  the  average  annual  product  rose 
to  54,759  kilograms,  or  $36,393,000.    The  annual  av- 


^ 


mmmmr,  !«-Ji ,  ,iW'-,!W3i»'-'  ' 


rw" 


GOLD  OUTPUT  OF  THE  WORLD. 


245 


crage  was  abruptly  raised  by  the  discovery  of  the  gold 
diggings  of  California  and  Australia  :o  199,388  kilo- 
grams, or  $132,513,000,  from  1851  to  1855,  and  to  an 
annual  average  of  101,750  kilograms,  or  $134,083,- 
000,  from  1856  to  i860.  The  production  subsequently 
averaged  185,057  kilograms,  or  $122,989,000,  from 
1861  to  1865,  and  195,026  kilograms,  or  $129,614,000, 
from  k666  to  1870.  From  1493,  that  is  from  the  discov- 
ery of  America,  until  1850,  that  is  in  357  years,  the 
quantity  produced  was  4,752,070  kilograms,  or  $3,158,- 
223,000.  From  1 85 1  to  1870,  in  20  years,  the  quantity 
of  gold  produced  was  3,905,205  kilograms,  or  $2,595,- 
996,000.  This  newly  extracted  gold,  therefore,  repre- 
sented more  than  82  per  cent  of  the  production  anterior 
to  1850,  and  more  than  45  per  cent  of  the  total  produc- 
tion after  1493. 

"It  is  easy  to  see  that  such  a  revolution  in  the  con- 
ditions of  production  caused  a  decline  of  gold  which 
became  manifest  in  a  rise  of  prices. 

'The  rise  of  prices  was  general  at  first.  In  1858,  ac- 
cording to  Levasseur,  the  price  of  wheat,  compared 
with  the  price  in  1848  had  doubled;  the  price  of  natural 
products,  compared  with  the  price  in  1847,  ^^^l  in- 
creased 67.19  per  cent;  the  price  of  manufactured 
articles  compared  with  that  of  1847  had  risen  14.94  per 
cent;  the  average  price  of  all  commodities  had  in- 
creased 61.61  per  cent.  The  learned  writer  took  care 
to  remark  that  the  rise  of  prices  was  not  due  exclusive- 
ly to  the  decline  of  gold.  He  admitted  in  the  first  place, 
that  war  and  famine  had  caused  a  rise  of  about  20  per 
cent  in  the  prices  of  natural  as  distinguished  from  man- 
ufactured products,  and  of  2  per  cent  in  manufactured 
products,  and  that  besides,  speculation  in  1856  had 
swollen  all  prices  to  the  extent  of  5  per  cent.  Leaving 
out  of  consideration  these  transitory  causes,  natural 
products  had  increased,  in  1858,  by  42.19  per  cent, 
manufactured  products  by  7.94  per  cent,  all  cc  nmodi- 
ties  considered  aS  a  whole  by  an  everage  of  25  per  cent. 
From  this  rise  of  25  per  cent  it  was  necessary  to  deduct 


=cr 


246 


THE  GOLDEN  NORTH. 


5  per  ceni  in  order  to  take  into  account  the  effect  of 
the  developments  of  industry  and  of  the  increase  of 
the  number  of  consumers.  As  a  final  result  he  found 
that  the  greater  abundance  of  gold  had  caused  a  rise 
of  20  per  cent  in  prices.  A  decline  in  the  value  of 
money  thus  amounted  to  16.67  P^'"  cent. 

"In  1863,  Stanley  Jevons  reached  a  conclusion  al- 
most the  same.  He  belie  .'ed  that  the  decline  of  gold 
could  not  be  less  than  15  per  cent,  and  that  it  might 
be  more.  In  ^863  or  thereabouts,  the  consequences 
of  the  decline  began  to  be  less  apparent  than  in  1858. 
The  p-eneral  rise  of  prices  was  succeeded  by  move- 
ments of  a  very  different  kind.  Several  causes  which 
Mr.  Levasseur  had  already  drawn  attention  to  began 
either  to  counteract  or  to  strengthen  the  eiTects  of  the 
plentifulness  of  the  standard  metal,  so  that  in  the  case 
of  certain  commodities  the  e  came  a  decline  instead  of 
a  rise,  while  in  others  the  decline  became  greater  still. 

''In  1873,  when  Mn  De  Foville  published  the  results 
of  his  investigations  concerning  prices,  the  movement 
which  in  1850  was  faintly  outlined,  became  very  marked 
and  well  defined.  That  wn'Ler  showed  that  the  prices 
of  1873  presented,  as  compared  with  t^^ose  of  haii  « 
century  before,  d  rise  of  90  per  rent  for  foods  of  animal 
origin,  of  30  per  cent  for  vegetable  foods,  and  45  per 

'it  for  domestic  liquors.  He  showed,  on  the  other 
uand,  a  decline  of  prices  of  35  per  cent  for  mineral  pro- 
duct!=',  of  50  per  cent  for  textiles  and  45  per  cent  for 
cliemiral  products,  glassware  and  paper. 

"By  a  combination  of  rises  and  declines  of  prices, 
according  to  the  method  which  he  c  lied  that  of  budget 
averages,  Mr,  De  Foville  came  to  the  conclusion  that 
there  had  been  an  iiicrease  o'  33  per  cent  in  the  prices 
of  comi-ioditit^s,  corresponding  to  a  decrease  of  25 
per  cent  in  the,  purchacing  power  of  money  from  the 
period  of  i820-;;j5    ^  1870-75. 

*''!:  will  be  remai .  ed  that  in  this  period  of  fifty  years 
the  qufantity  of  ^fold  prodt'^ced  almost  trebled  as  com- 
pared with  the  332  years  between  T493  and  tS^S.    The 


■■■MIPHI 


wmm 


tmm 


iftw-uuimu 


GOLD  OUTPUT  OF  THE  WORLD. 


247 


quantities  produced  amounted  in  1825  to  3,926,510  kil- 
ograms, or  $2,609,558,000,  and  in  1875  to  9,523,- 
696  kilograms^  or  $6,329,448,000.  Yet  the  decline  of 
gold  was  only  25  per  cent.  It  must  be  remarked,  how- 
ever, that  this  depreciation  of  25  per  cent  was  due  to  a 
combination  of  causes  of  various  kinds,  and  was  not 
due  entirely  to  the  abundance  of  gold.  Between  1825 
and  1875  an  economic  revolution  was  accomplished 
in  the  world  greater  than  most  political  revolutions. 
To  describe  the  revolution  just  referred  to  would  be 
to  write  the  industrial,  commercial,  financial  and  mone- 
tary history  of  those  fifty  years. 

"Judging  from  the  effect  of  the  gold  discoveries  in 
California  and  Australia  in  gradually  raising  general 
prices  from  1850  to  1873  or  thereabouts,  iv  would  be 
only  natui^al  to  conclude  that  the  effect  of  the  now 
rapidly  increasing  conditions  made  annually  to  the 
world's  product  in  the  Transvaal,  Australia,  the  United 
States,  Russia  and  in  the  Klondike  district  would  have 
a  similar  effect,  provided  they  bore  something  like  tlic 
same  proportion  to  the  already  existing  stock  of  gold 
as  did  those  of  California  and  AustraHa  to  the  stock 
already  on  hand  in  1850.  Since  1871  the  production  of 
gold  has  been  about  5,200,000  kilograms,  or  $3,455,- 
920,000,  or  will  be  by  the  end  of  the  present  year.  Since 
1886  alone  the  product  has  been  about  2,718,000  kilo- 
grams, or  $1,806,383,000.  The  gold  product  from 
1886  to  1897  has  been  nearlv  25  per  cent  of  the  total 
output  of  the  gold  mines  of  the  world  from  1493  to 
1885,  and  the  total  product  of  gold  from  1871  to  1897 
has  been  approximately  60  per  cent  of  the  world's  pro- 
duct of  that  metal  from  the  discovery  of  Am^erica  to 
1870. 

**Such  an  enormous  production  of  gold  since  1870 
would  lead  one  to  believe  that  there  would  necessarily 
be  caused  thereby  a  great  rise  in  prices.  But  as  a  mat- 
ter of  fact,  the  contrary  has  on  the  whole,  been  the  case. 
A  general  decline  of  prices  began  in  1873,  and  notwith- 
standing the  vast  increase  in  the  world's  stock  of  gold 


248 


THE  r^CLDEN  NORTH 


just  reverred  to,  the  decline  still  continues.  Economists 
and  sti:tisticians  of  great  merit  believe  that  this  general 
decline  is  due  to  what  they  call  the  appreciation  of  gold, 
although  how  there  can  be  an  appreciation  of  gold, 
when  the  world's  output  of  the  metal  since  1871  has 
been  about  60  per  cent  cf  its  total  product  from  1493 
to  1870  they  do  not  explain. 

"This  vast  increase  in  the  gold  stock  of  the  world 
has  found  expression  in  the  lowness  of  the  rate  of  dis- 
count, with  the  facility  with  which  municipalities  and 
states  effect  loans  of  great  magnitude  at  a  rate  of  inter- 
est lower  than  ever  before  in  the  history  of  the  world, 
and  in  the  vast  accumulation  of  gold  and  silver  bullion 
in  the  great  banks  of  the  world.  The  fact  that  prices 
have  not  risen  as  a  consequence  of  the  increase  is  un- 
doubted evidence  that  the  causes  of  their  decline  have 
their  source  elsewhere  than  in  the  scarcity  of  gold  or  of 
money  in  general.  For,  as  remarked  above,  there  is 
now  more  gold  available  for  monetary  purposes  than 
there  was  gold  and  silver  before  the  decline  of  prices 
began.  Not  only  this,  but  the  substitutes  for  money 
with  which  every  business  man  is  familiar  have  vastly 
increased  since  1873.  With  the  development  of  credit 
that  now  obtains  in  the  world  the  quantity  of  the  media 
of  circulation  can  have  no  controlling  influence  on  the 
p-  ices  of  commodities. 

"I  know  it  is  almost  a  despairing  view  to  take  that, 
notwithstanding  the  vast  additions  yearly  making  to 
the  gold  stock  of  the  world,  there  is  no  immediate  pros- 
pect of  a  general  rise  of  prices  from  that  cause ;  and  yet, 
considering  the  simple  fact  that  the  addition  to  the 
world's  gold  stock  since  1871  has  been  nearly  60  per 
cent  of  the  world's  output  of  this  metal  from  the  discov- 
ery of  America  up  to  1870,  and  that  the  product  since 
1886  up  to  the  end  of  1897  (an  estimate  of  $240,000,- 
000  being  made  for  that  year)  was  nearly  25  per  cent 
of  the  total  product  from  1493  to  1885,  I  can  rea&:h  no 
other  conclusion.    The  great  addition  to  the  world^s 


ippnpan^nmnsisnpsnKsipeB^iesr!? 


sws^S^nipws 


GOLD  OUTPUT  OF  THE  WORLD. 


249 


Stock  of  gold  since  1873  is  a  demonstrated  fact,  but  so 
also  is  the  continued  decline  of  prices. 

"The  advocates  of  silver  maintain  that  the  decline  is 
due  to  the  demonetization  of  that  metal  and  the  con- 
sequent scarcity  of  money.  Yet  money  was  never  more 
plentiful,  rates  of  discount  and  interest  never  lower,  ac- 
cumulation in  the  banks  never  greater. 

"These  facts  conclusively  refute  their  contention. 

"May  not  the  true  cause  be  found  in  the  stability  of 
the  value  of  gold — the  most  desirable  quality  in  a 
■iv.  -ey  metal — and  in  the  improvement  in  technical 
J  rocesses  and  the  cheapening  of  transpor  ation — an 
improvement  and  a  cheapening  still  going  0.1 — as  well 
as  in  the  almost  universal  substitution  of  machine  for 
human  labor?" 


+^ 


i» 


2SO 


THE  GOLDEN  NORTH. 


•       CHAPTER   XXXIX. 

HON.  CLIFFORD   SEFTON,   CANADIAN  MINISTER  OF 

THE  INTERIOR. 

Gold  seekers  in  the  Klondike  country,  and  in  the 
far  north  region  generally,  will  appreciate  an  introduc- 
tion to  the  Hon.  Clifford  Sefton,  Canadian  Minister  of 
the  Interior.  The  department  of  the  Interior  of  the 
Dominion  Government  is  charged  with  the  respensi- 
bility  of  administering  all  mining  laws  and  regulations, 
and  has  immediate  jurisdiction  of  +he  mounted  police 
which  is  charged  with  the  maintenance  of  law  and 
order  in  the  mining  camps  of  tlie  northwest  gold  fields 
west  to  the  141st  degree  of  longtitude. 

Mr.  Sefton  is  a  product  of  Manitoba  where  he  settled 
with  his  parents  in  the  "seventies."  His  father,  Hon. 
J.  W.  Sefton  has  long  b'een  connected  with  the  public 
life  of  the  Canadian  Northwest,  having  served  as  a 
member  of  the  Manitoba  legislature  fifteen  years  ago. 
The  son,  the  present  Minister  of  the  Interior,  succeeded 
his  father  in  the  legislature,  and  later  was  elected  to 
the  Dominion  Parliament,  being  a  strong  opponent 
to  "separate  schools"  in  Manitoba,  an  issue  which  has 
become  almost  world  famous.  Mr.  Sefton,  although  a 
young  man,  not  yet  passed  thirty-six  years,  has  won 
distinction  in  the  legal  profession.  He  is  an  ardent 
and  enthusiastic  believer  in  a  great  future  for  the  far 
northwest  country,  and  his  admirers  in  Canada  pre- 
dict for  his  administration  a  rapid  development  of  that 
region.  He  favors  liberal  government  subsidies  for 
the  promotion  of  railway  construction  into  the  rich 
Peace  River  country,  and  other  arable  districts  of  the 


^^"^Mit 


HON.  CLIFFORD  SEFTON. 


351 


northwest,  and  will  lend  his  best  energies  to  promote 
the  settlement  and  development  of  the  whole  north 
country.  He  favors  a  liberal  mining  policy,  but  is  said 
to  lean  towards  plans  calculated  to  discriminate  in 
favor  of  citizens  of  Canada  and  Great  Britian  as  against 
pfoid  seekers  from  other  countries. 


f 


if** 


i 


252 


THE  GOLDEN  NORTH. 


CHAPTER  XL. 

THE  PEACE-LIARD-PELLY  ROUTE. 

Northwest,  or  "Back-Door"  lines  of  travel  to  the  Klondike 
described  in  detail — Two  and  a  half  months  from  Ed- 
monton to  Dawson  City— A  cheap,  accessible  route. 

And  now  we  come  to  a  description  in  detail  of  the 
most  practical  route  to  the  Klondike,  viz. :  that  by  the 
Peace,  Liard  and  Pelly  rivers.  That  by  the  Mackenzie 
and  Peel  rivers,  which  is  much  longer,  is  available  only 
when  the  water  is  open  and  is  not  likely  to  be  exten- 
sively traveled. 

The  route  via  the  Peace  and  Liard  rivers,  which  is 
a  combination  of  two  of  the  lines  heretofore  referred 
to  in  this  volume,  has  the  advantage  of  being  the  short- 
est and  by  all  odds  the  cheapest  and  most  accessible 
line  of  travel  to  the  gold  fields  of  the  far  north.  In  addi- 
tion to  this  it  ofifers  great  facilities  for  taking  horses 
and  cattle  through,  as  the  country  traversed  abounds 
in  good  grasses,  and  although  heavily  timbered  in 
many  places,  it  is  not  rough  in  the  sense  of  being  moun- 
tainous. 

If  gold  seekers  decide  to  take  this  short  route,  the 
starting  point  will  be  ^he  city  of  Calgary,  or  Edmonton, 
v/hich  is  192  miles  further  north.  Edmonton  may  be 
reached  by  rail  from  Chicago  or  any  other  railway 
point  in  the  United  States.  The  Saskatchewan  River 
is  crossed  at  Edmonton.  An  excellent  road  runs  from 
Calgary  to  Edmonton  so  that  the  traveler  may  chose 
between  pack  horses  and  the  railway  as  to  that  distance 
of  192  miles. 

The  reader  is  requested  to  consult  the  route  map 
which  accompanies  this  chapter  closel)',  in  order  to  get 
a  better  understanding  of  the  description  of  the  route. 
From  Edmonton  the  objective  point  will  be  the  Liard 


IIM 


THE  PEACE-LIARD-PELLY  ROUTE. 


253 


River,  and  there  are  several  alternative  routes,  all 
heading  northwest  and  converging  on  the  Liard. 
When  once  the  waters  or  the  ice  of  the  Liard  are 
reached  by  either  route  the  remainder  of  the  journey 
is  taken  via  Lake  Frances,  the  portage  over  fhe  great 
watershed  to  the  Pelly  River  and  thence  down  the 
Pelly  and  the  Yukon,  in  boats  on  the  water,  or  by 
sleds  on  the  ice  to  Dawson  City. 

We  will  therefore  now  describe  in  detail  each  of  these 
alternative  routes  to  the  Liard,  pointing  out  when  pos- 
sible their  respective  merits  and  demerits,  and  then 
give  our  attention  to  that  portion  of  the  district  from 
the  Liard  to  the  Yukon,  which  is  common  to  them 
all. 

As  stated  the  distance  from  Calgary  to  Edmonton 
is  192  miles,  and  may  be  traveled  by  rail  or  by  means 
of  horses.  A  party  taking  a  large  number  of  horses 
and  cattle  will  find  it  advantageous  to  go  over  the 
highway.  From  Edmonton  there  is  an  excellent  road 
for  wagons  or  sleds,  according  to  the  season,  to  Atha- 
baska  landing,  a  distance  of  90  miles.  Over  this  sec- 
tion many  thousands  of  tons  of  freight  have  been 
hauled  in  the  past.  At  Athabaska  landing  the  traveler 
may  ascend  the  Athabaska  River  on  the  ice  or  in 
boats,  according  to  the  season  to  Lesser  Slave  River, 
and  then  up  this  river  to  Lesser  Slave  Lake,  at  the  west 
end  of  which  there  is  a  Hudson's  Bay  post.  From 
this  post  a  cart  or  wagon  road,  60  miles  long,  leads  to 
the  Peace  River.  The  crossing  is  at  the  junction  of 
the  Peace  and  Smoky  rivers.  The  total  distance  from 
Edmonton  to  this  crossing  is  260  miles.  This  route 
has  been  traveled  for  a  century  by  traders  and  is  well 
beaten.  There  are  several  Canadian  parties  now  en 
route  to  the  Klondike  over  this  line  of  travel. 

Horses  or  cattle  taken  in  by  this  route,  except  during 
the  ice  season  are  taken  on  the  south  bank  of  the  Atha- 
baska River  from  the  landing  to  the  mouth  of  Lesser 
Slave  River,  where  they  are  swum  across  the  stream 
and  taken  along  the  north  side  of  Lesser  Slave  River 


254 


THE  GOLDEN  NORTH. 


and  lake  to  the  Hudson's  Bay  post  at  the  head  of  the 
lake.  Perhaps  a  better  way,  if  horses  are  to  be  packed 
through  during  the  open  season,  is  to  take  the  wagon 
road  from  Edmonton  through  St.  Albert  to  the  site  of 
Fort  Assiniboine,  on  the  Athabaska,  a  distance  of  85 
miles,  then  northwest  to  Lesser  Slave  Lake,  115  miles 
more,  and  thence  by  the  cart  road  to  the  Peace  River 
crossing.  This  route  is  now  being  improved  by  the 
Government  of  the  Canadian  northwest  territories  un- 
der Surveyor  Chalmers. 

Peace  River  must  be  crossed  at  the  Crossing,  and 
then  there  is  a  good  road  or  trail  on  the  north  bank  of 
the  river  to  Dunvegan  at  the  mouth  of  the  Pine  River. 
This  point  is  100  miles  from  the  Peace  River  crossing, 
and  25  miles  from  Fort  St.  John. 

The  favored  route  is  by  Lake  St.  Ann  to  Fort  St. 
John  or  Dunvegan.  This  is  the  line  of  travel  to  the 
Peace  River  covered  by  Henry  McLeod,  C.  E.,  when 
making  explorations  for  the  Canadian  Pacific  railway. 
There  is  a  direct  wagon  road  from  Edmonton  to  Lake 
St.  Ann,  thence  by  trail  to  the  junction  of  the  McLeod 
and  Athabaska  Rivers,  where  the  latter  has  to  be 
crossed  on  the  ice  or  by  boat.  From  the  Athabaska  the 
trail  leads  to  Fort  St.  John  by  way  of  Smoky  River 
and  Grand  Prairie. 

No  difficulty  will  be  experienced  in  crossing  the  Big 
or  Little  Smoky  Rivers.  There  is  a  considerable 
amount  of  open  country  and  muskegs  are  reputed  to 
be  conspicuous  by  their  rarity,  in  addition  to  which 
good  fishing  can  be  obtained  in  the  open  season  in  any 
of  the  creeks  and  numerous  small  lakes  along  the  trail. 
If  the  traveler  wishes  to  strike  the  Peace  River  at  Dun- 
vegan, rather  lan  at  Fort  St.  John,  he  will,  instead  of 
bearing  to  the  west  after  crossing  the  Smoky  River, 
take  a  trail  which  leads  almost  directly  north.  In  the 
Edmonton  Bulletin,  of  September,  1897,  mention  is 
made  of  the  arrival  in  Edmonton  of  S.  Cunningham, 
who  has  been  mining  for  some  time  in  this  district 
northwest  of  Lake  St.  Ann.    He  gives  the  distance  by 


THE  PEACE  LIARDPELLY  ROUTE. 


255 


days' travel  with  loaded  pack  horses  to  Dun  vegan,  Peace 
River,  as  follows:  Lake  St.  Ann  to  Athabasca  River 
at  junction  with  McLeod,  four  days;  Little  Smoky, 
four  days;  Sturgeon  Lake,  three  days;  Big  Smoky, 
three  days;  Spirit  River,  three  days;  Dunvegan,  two 
days ;  and  says  that  this  trail  is  the  best  one  to  Peace 
River.  Mr.  Cunningham  adds  that  the  Hudson's  Bay 
Co.,  A.  McCorrister  and  an  Indian  are  establishing 
trading  outposts  at  the  crossing  of  the  Athabasca. 

There  is  an  old  pack  trail  on  the  north  side  of  the 
Peace  between  St.  John  and  Dunvegan.  This  trail  is 
far  enough  back  from  the  river  to  avoid  the  numerous 
ravines  which  run  into  the  Peace  Valley.  On  the  south 
side  of  the  river  a  trail  also  exists  between  St.  John  and 
Dunvegan.  On  this  south  trail  for  a  distance  of  about 
22  miles  from  St.  John  the  country  is  much  wooded, 
and  for  the  remainder  of  the  way  open  woods,  prairie 
and  fairly  thick  timber  alternate.  This  trail  Hes  about 
20  miles  south  of  the  river  for  the  greater  portion  of  the 
distance,  and  the  whole  of  this  southern  district  is  well 
wooded  right  up  to  the  spurs  of  the  Rocky  Mountains. 

"Although  it  was  in  October  I  passed  over  it,  I  wit- 
nessed no  severe  frosts,  very  little  ice  being  visible  any- 
where, and  the  flora  gave  no  evidence  of  having  been 
much  injured  by  frost.  In  the  prairies  along  the  creeks 
the  grasses  and  plants  were  of  as  luxurious  growth  as 
in  places  much  farther  sojth  and  east.  The  grass  was 
generally  long  and  meadowlike,  but  as  we  approached 
Peace  River  it  became  more  like  the  true  prairie  grass 
until  extensive  areas  of  true  prairie  were  passed  over 
along  the  tributaries  of  the  Peace  River.  For  a  dis- 
tance of  six  or  seven  miles  back  from  the  Peace  River 
Valley  there  is  much  prairie  and  meadow  land,  with 
some  woods  and  swamps  scattered  over  it.  The  soil  is 
an  excellert  black  clay  loam,  as  rich  as  I  ever  saw,  and 
the  growth  of  hay  and  grass  bears  testimony  to  this 
fact." 

Dominion  Land  Surveyor  Ogilvie,  who  traveled 
over  the  upper  Peace  River  district  in  1891,  says: 


'i\ 


256 


THE  GOLDEN  NORTH. 


"At  Fort  St.  John  the  Hudson's  Bay  Co.  raise  pota- 
toes and  garden  produce  with  success,  and  the  barley 
and  oats  always  ripen.  They  also  have  several  hanus  of 
horses  in  the  vicinity.  These  animals  live  on  the  prai- 
rie on  the  north  side  of  the  river  winter  arid  summer, 
and  very  seldom  are  there  any  losses,  except  by  wolves. 
The  fact  that  horses  can  safely  winter  out  here  speaks 
well  for  the  future  of  the  country.  St.  John  is  visited 
frequently  during  the  winter  months  by  the  so-called 
Chinook  winds,  which  often  sweep  away  the  snow  com- 
pletely." 

At  Dunvegan  the  Hudson's  Bay  Co.  has  grown 
wheat,  barley,  oats,  and  garden  produce  generally  for 
many  years  with  great  success.  Mr.  Ogilvie  remarks 
that  when  he  was  there  in  1883-84  he  saw  grain  and 
vegetables  fully  equal  in  quality  and  quantity  to  any  he 
has  ever  seen  anywhere,  the  garden  vegetables  being 
especially  fine.  The  Hudson's  Bay  Co.,  the  Roman 
Catholic  Mission  and  the  Indians  have  many  horses, 
which  always  winter  out.  The  woods  afford  them  shel- 
ter and  on  the  prr'  es  the  richest  grasses  grow.  There 
-are  also  large  areab  where  excellent  hay  grows.  A  con- 
cluding quotation  from  Mr.  Ogilvie's  report  must  be 
made,  as  it  bears  pertinently  on  the  characteristics  of 
the  Peace  River  district :  "Were  it  not  for  the  difficulty 
of  getting  into  and  out  of  the  country  stock  raising 
might  be  profitably  engaged  in.  Hay  is  abundant  and 
of  good  quality  nearly  everywhere,  and  in  summer  the 
grazing  is  excellent.  Notv/ithstanding  the  latitude  and 
altitude,  cattle  subsist  with  moderate  help  from  the  first 
of  May  ^.ill  the  middle  or  end  of  December;  the  rest  of 
the  year  they  have  to  be  sheltered  and  fed.  The  Hud- 
son's Bay  Co.  has  a  ranch  on  Spirit  River,  south  of  the 
Peace  about  20  miles,  and  on  the  trail  between  Dimve- 
gan  and  Grand  Prairie.  This  was  started  a  few  years 
ago,  and  some  fine  stock  was  put  on  it.  What  the  re- 
sult of  the  experiment  may  be  remains  to  be  seen,  but 
they  have  been  kept  at  all  the  posts  for  many  years, 
oxen  being  largely  used  in  freighting.'' 


wmtt. 


mmm^ 


mm 


■pmppMiivwiPMpa 


THE  PEACE-LI ARD-PELLY  ROUTE. 


257 


In  essaying  to  traverse  the  350  miles  of  country 
which  separate  the  Peace  and  Liard  Rivers,  the  travel- 
er has  a  choice  of  rout^,  though  the  information  at  his 
disposal  is  not  of  such  a  definite  or  particular  nature  as 
that  concerning  the  other  portions  of  the  overland 
route.  In  selecting  his  course  he  will  have,  in  great 
measure,  to  use  his  own  judgment,  at  the  same  time 
bearing  in  mind  that  all  the  information  contained  in 
the  government  publications  and  that  derived  from  the 
Hudson's  Bay  officials  and  Indians  concur  in  the  fact 
that  this  tract  of  country  is  passable  without  difficulty 
or  danger,  and  that  the  only  obstruction  to  be  met  with 
is  the  dense  growth  of  timber,  through  which  a  trail 
may  in  occasional  places  have  to  be  cut  for  a  short  dis- 
tance. The  Indians  have  trails  through  this  section  for 
hunting  purposes. 

The  reader,  on  referring  to  the  map,  will  notice  that 
the  two  branches  of  the  Nelson  River  take  their  ilse 
in  the  divide,  and,  uniting  some  distance  above  Fort 
Nelson,  run  almost  aorth  to  the  Liard.  Mr.  W.  Ogil- 
vie,  journeying  south  from  the  Liard  in  1891,  reached 
Fort  St.  John  by  traveling  in  a  course  up  the  west 
branch  of  the  Nelson  and  thence  packing  overland. 
On  his  way  he  picked  up  a  considerable  amount  of  in- 
formation as  to  the  country,  although,  owing  to  the 
time  of  year  and  the  delays  he  was  subjected  to,  he  had 
no  opportunity  of  investigating  for  himself. 

The  most  direct  route  to  the  head  waters  of  the  Nel- 
son would  be  to  take  the  trail  running  between  Dun- 
vegan  and  Fort  St.  John  till  it  crossed  the  Pine  River, 
and  follow  up  Pine  River  and  continue  in  a  northwest- 
erly direction  to  the  forks  of  the  Nelson  River,  being  a 
distance  of  140  miles  from  the  mouth  of  the  Pine.  The 
head  waters  of  the  east  branch  of  the  Nelson,  which 
Mr.  Ogilvie  calls  the  Nelson  River  proper,  can  be 
reached  from  St.  John  by  a  shorter  way.  A  well  known 
Indian  once  made  a  trip  to  Peace  River  from  the  head 
of  canoe  navigation  on  the  Nelson,  "and  described  his 
route  as  being  southerly  for  one  day  to  a  lake  of  con- 


|-i 


258 


THE  GOLDEN  NORTH. 


siderable  size,  thence  from  the  lake  to  Peace  River 
three  days  on  foot,  which  probably  would  make  from 
50  to  70  miles  from  the  head  pf  this  stream  to  Peace 
River.  Between  the  lake  and  Peace  River  he  crossed 
a  ridge  of  hills,  which  he  designated  mountains,  but 
they  were  all  heavily  timbered."  The  Edmonton  Bul- 
letin remarks,  apropos  of  this  last,  that  it  would  indi- 
cate that  the  greater  part  of  the  distance  was  not  heav- 
ily timbered,  and  therefore  passable  for  pack  horses. 
A  single  belt  of  timber  could  very  easily  b'  cut  through. 

Another  route  which,  from  all  reports,  appears  to  be 
the  most  advantageous,  is  as  follows:  Proceeding  up 
the  Peace  River  from  Fort  St.  John,  Half-way  River 
is  reached,  which  has  its  source  a  little  south  of  the 
head  waters  of  the  west  fork  of  the  Nelson,  and  runs 
into  the  Peace  40  miles  above  Fort  St.  John.  There  is 
a  good  horse  trail  up  Half-way  River,  leading  to  the 
west  fork  of  Nelson  River,  a  distance  of  100  miles. 
This  trail  has  been  much  used  by  the  Indians,  and,  in- 
deed, the  whole  of  the  country  around  the  Half-way 
River,  from  Ogilvie's  description,  would  appear  to  be 
frequently  traversed  by  them.  Ogilvie  did  not  pass  over 
this  trail,  as  he  cut  a  path  of  his  own  to  Fort  St.  John, 
but  the  trail,  nevertheless,  exists,  and  has  been  well 
used  and  therefore  there  can  be  no  difficulty  in  packing 
supplies  over. 

Mr.  Ogilvie,  in  speaking  of  the  general  characteris- 
tics of  the  ground  between  the  Nelson  and  Peace  Riv- 
ers, says  that  the  timber  is  generally  scrub,  averaging 
two  inches  in  thickness  and  eight  to  ten  feet  in  height. 
"It  may  be  taken,"  says  the  Edmonton  Bulletin,  "as 
established  beyond  question  that  an  open  pack  trail  ex- 
ists from  Edmonton  to  boat  navigation  on  the  west 
branch  of  the  Nelson  by  way  of  St.  John  and  Half-way 
River,  the  total  distance  being  over  500  miles."  The 
Indians  use  the  Half-way  and  Nelson  Rivers  as  a  canoe 
route,  there  being  a  portage  of  25  miles  between  the 
two  at  a  point  higher  up  than  the  horse  trail.  Mr. 
Frank  Oliver,  M.  P.,  mentions  that  a  party  of  miners 


-M' 


THE  PEACE-LIARD-PELLY  ROUTE. 


259 


took  this  canoe  route  from  Peace  River  to  the  Liard 
about  1874.  They  went  up  Halt-way  River  in  the  fall, 
crossed  the  portage  in  the  winter  and  went  down  the 
Nelson  in  the  spring. 

Having  reached  the  head  waters  of  either  the  west  or 
the  east  fork  of  the  Nelson,  there  is  no  difficulty  in  de- 
scending to  Fort  Nelson  and  the  Liard  River. 

The  following  description  of  the  Nelson,  or  East 
Branch  River,  as  it  is  locally  known,  taken  from  Ogil- 
vie's  report,  will  sufitice  to  give  an  idea  of  the  nature  of 
the  road:  The  river,  for  some  way  from  its  junction 
,  with  the  Liard,  is  from  200  to  400  yards  wide,  and  capa- 
ble of  being  navigated  by  stern  wheel  steamers  as  far 
up  as  Fort  Nelson,  1 10  miles.  This  post  is  a  Hudson's 
Bay  Co.  station,  and  as  it  is  off  the  main  line  of  travel, 
the  only  white  people  seen  at  it  are  those  in  charge  of 
the  company's  business  and  a  missionary.  The  In- 
dians in  the  vicinity  have  seen  very  little  of  white  men 
or  civilized  life.  They  have  retained  more  of  their  ori- 
ginal manners  and  habits  than  Indirns  generally  do, 
and,  judging  from  Ogilvie's  experience,  the  less  the 
traveler  depends  on  them  the  better  it  will  be  for  him. 
Above  Fort  Nelson  the  river  continues  to  afford  good 
navigation  for  91  miles  to  where  the  forks  are  situate. 
The  east  fork  is  the  smaller  and  is  known  as  the  Nelson 
River;  the  west  one  Ogilvie  calls  the  Sicannie  Chief 
River. 

The  east  fork  is  very  shallow,  except  in  spring;  so 
much  so  that  it  is  only  in  spring  there  is  enough  water 
to  run  a  canoe  down.  At  the  head  it  is  wide  and  full  of 
gravel  bars,  which  in  summer  time  absorb  all  the  water. 
From  the  head  of  canoe  navigation  on  this  stream 
down  to  Fort  Nelson  takes  about  three  or  four  days  in 
high  water,  or  say  150  to  180  miles. 

The  west  branch,  or  Sicannie  Chief  River,  was  trav- 
ersed by  Ogilvie  in  his  journey  from  Ft.  Nelson  to 
Ft.  St.  John  in  1891,  and  from  his  report  it  Ts  beyond 
question  that  the  stream  can  be  descended  by  canoe 
with  facility.     Ogilvie  himself  ascended  the  river  in 


mmm 


26o 


THE  GOLDEN  NORTH. 


low  water,  and  though  he  made  somewhat  slow  time, 
he  had  no  portages  to  make.  We  have  mentioned, 
above,  that  the  Indians  use  this  west  branch  as  a  canoe 
route  in  conjunction  with  Half-way  River. 

Ogilvie  observes  with  reference  to  the  Nelson:  "A 
marked  peculiarity  with  reference  to  this  stream  is  the 
nature  of  the  bars  in  it.  They  consist  principally  of 
sand,  and  many  of  them  are  continually  shifting  their 
position.  By  putting  a  stick  down  to  tl.  ^  bottom  in 
very  many  places  along  the  river  the  bottom  can  be 
felt  in  violent  ^gud^ion,  the  sand  rolling  along  with 
great  force  and  lodgnig  in  the  deep  places,  only  to  be 
dislodged  again  in  time.  Many  of  the  bars  are  very 
t»-eacherous,  presenting  a  solid  appearance  wh-.ch  i?  far 
from  real ;  on  top  of  them  there  is  a  thin  crust  of  gravel, 
Vv'hich  will  not  support  a  rnan,  and  through  which  he 
will  sink  in  quicksand  two  or  three  feet.  To  cross  one 
of  these  is  quite  an  undertaking,  as  it  is  exceedingly 
fatiguing,  if  not  dangerous.  Much  of  the  bottom  of  the 
river  is  in  the  same  condition," 

It  will  be  seen  frc  m  these  observations  that  crossing 
the  ice  and  snow  in  the  early  spring  when  the  snow  has 
mostly  disappeared  and  the  ice  yet  remains  v/ill  prove 
the  more  practicable  mode  of  travel  for  this  section  of 
the  route. 

The  traveler  now  ascends  the  Liard  River,  which  at 
this  point  and  for  some  distance  is  bordered  with  wide 
alluvial  flats,  covered  with  tall,  straight  cottonwood 
and  large  spruce  and  canoe  birch.  The  river  itself  is 
wide  and  filled  with  sandbars  and  wooded  islands.  The 
valley  is  wide  and  shallow  and  lined  with  gently  slop- 
ing spruce  clad  banks.  R.  G.  McConnell  adds:  "On 
some  of  the  flats  the  Indians  have  built  houses,  and 
fenced  in  smtil'  plots  for  farming  purposes,  for  which 
the  greater  part  of  this  section  of  the  district  seems  well 
adapted.  We  passed  (July,  1887)  one  small  Indian 
farm  about  13  miles  below  the  mouth  of  the  Nelson 
and  another  one  at  the  mouth  of  Fishing  Creek,  a  few 


LBi^i'ia^i^,^!i.iii!iy.,i 


THE  PEACE-LIARD-PELLY  ROUTE. 


261 


miles  above  Fort  Liard,  while  others  were  noticed  in 
the  lower  part  of  the  river." 

Proceeding  up  the  Liard,  the  river  valley  for  some 
miles  is  low  and  the  hill  sides  are  covered  with  forests, 
while  the  river  itself  spreads  out  and  flows  lor  some 
miles  in  a  multitude  of  channels  through  a  bewilder- 
ing maze  of  islands.  The  journey  as  far  as  Hell  Gate 
Canyon — 40  miles  from  the  mouth  of  the  Nelson — is 
easy  and  after  10  miles  have  been  traversed,  the  valley 
becomes  narrow  with  steep  sides  rising  up  in  places  to 
a  height  of  fully  a  thousand  feet.  The  bottoms  here 
are  usually  mall  and  are  chiefly  wooded  by  members 
of  the  poplar  family.  In  this  reach  the  river  has  a 
steady  current  of  about  four  and  a  half  miles  an  hour, 
and  varies  in  width  xrom  500  yards  to  over  a  mile.  In 
the  wide  portions  the  river  is  usually  divided  into  sev- 
eral channels  by  islands  and  bars.  Shortly  before  Hell 
Gate  Canyon  there  is  a  canyon-like  reach  of  the  river 
about  a  mile  in  length.  The  stream  here  is  narrowed 
down  to  about  15:)  yards  in  width  and  flows  easily  be- 
tween vertical  banks  three  hundred  feet  high. 

Hell  Gate  Canyon  is  so  called  because  it  is  the  en- 
trance to  a  wild  portion  of  the  river,  where  the  most 
serious  obstructions  are  met  with.  The  voyageur  will 
experience  no  trouble  in  passing  Hell  Gate,  or  the  three 
miles  of  rather  swift  water  which  have  next  to  be  trav- 
ersed, but  above  this  the  river  is  closely  canyoned  and 
riffles  are  met  with  all  the  way.  Only  some  of  these 
are  dangerous,  but  the  banks  are  steep,  and  the  impos- 
sibility of  getting  down  to  the  DvOttom  of  the  valley 
compelled  Mr.  McConnell's  party,  who  were  coming 
down  stream,  to  make  a  portage  of  four  miles.  On 
getting  round  this  stretch  of  canyons  a  long  ritfle  is 
met,  and  then  the  ''Rapid  of  the  Drowned"  is  reached. 
"Here  one  of  the  most  dangerous  spots  on  the  river 
is  formed  by  the  water  plunging,  with  its  whole  force, 
over  a  ledg^  '  x  rock  which  curves  outwards  and  down- 
wards from  the  left-hand  bank  into  a  boiling  chaudiere 
below.    The  name  of  the  rapid  originated  from  the 


!i.  m 


]l 


i 


111 


ft 


H 


262 


THE  GOLDEN  NORTH. 


drowning  at  this  point  of  a  Hudson  Bay  clerk  named 
Brown,  and  a  boat  load  of  voyageurs.  As  the  story 
goes,  Brown,  disregarding  the  advice  oi  his  steersman, 
insisted  on  running  close  to  the  northern  bank,  and 
the  canoe  plunging  into  the  hole  mentioned  above 
was  drawn  under.  We  passed  the  rapid  by  letting  our 
boat  down  cautiously  with  a  rope  to  the  chaudiere  and 
then  making  a  short  portage.  With  a  proper  boat, 
however,  no  difficulty  would  be  experienced  in  crossing 
the  river  above  the  rapid  and  running  down  close  to 
the  right  bank." 

For  twelve  miles  above  the  Rapid  of  the  Drowned 
the  river  is  wide  and  shallow  and  filled  with  gravel 
bars,  but  navigation  is  easy.  Then  another  narrow 
pass  is  entered  where  the  current  is  swift,  and  riffle 
succeeds  riffle  till  the  Devil's  portage  is  reached.  Mr. 
McConnell's  party  had  to  make  several  short  portages, 
but  were  able  to  use  their  canoe  most  of  the  way.  This 
portion  of  the  Liard  between  Devil's  portage  and  Hell- 
gate,  a  distance  of  nearly  40  miles,  is  called  the  '"'■and 
Canyon,  but  "is  more  correctly  a  succession  c\  on 
canyons,  with  expanded  basins  between  filled  with  ed- 
dying currents.  In  low  water  the  whole  of  this  reach 
can  be  easily  run  in  almost  any  kind  of  a  boat,  but  in 
the  season  of  high  floods,  such  as  it  was  when  we 
passed  through,  the  water  forcing  its  way  through  the 
throat-like  contractions,  is  thrown  into  a  commotion 
too  violent  for  any  but  the  staunchest  boat  to  stand." 

Again  the  reader  will  observe  that  the  ice  season  is 
by  all  odds  the  proper  one  for  travel  over  this  part  of 
the  journey  to  the  Klondike. 

Above  the  Grand  Canyon  the  Liard  makes  a  great 
bend  to  the  northeast,  all  around  which  is  a  succession 
of  rapids  and  canyons;  and  a  large  fall  is  reported  in 
the  elbow  of  the  bend.  The  banks  of  the  river  are 
formed  of  almost  vertical  cliffs,  and  a  portage  of  four 
miles  has  to  be  made  across  the  bend  on  the  left-hand 
bank  of  the  river  as  you  ascend.  This  portage  passes 
over  a  ridge  fully  1,000  feet  high  and  the  slopes  are 


THE  PEACE-LIARD-PELLY  ROUTE. 


263 


Steep.  In  187 1  Messrs.  McCullough  and  Thibert 
cleared  a  trail  across  for  the  purpose  of  hauling  their 
boat  over,  and  in  1887  R.  G.  McConnell  followed  their 
trail  easily  on  the  upper  part  of  the  portage,  but  the 
eastern  portion  had  become  gradually  overgrown  with 
brush  wood,  and  he  had  to  cut  out  a  new  path  for  him- 
self. Mr.  McConnell  spent  six  days  on  the  portage; 
but  most  of  this  time  was  employed  in  framing  a  boat 
and  in  crossing  his  outfit,  which  was  comparatively 
heavy,  in  addition  to  which  he  had  to  cut  a  trail  for 
some  distance.  Today  the  portage  should  not  take 
more  than  two  days  at  the  outside. 

Mr.  McConnell  observes  that  the  country  around  the 
Devil's  portage  and  Fort  Halkett  is  probably  the  best 
moose  country  in  North  America.  His  party  saw  sev- 
eral, and  everywhere  fresh  tracks  in  abundance  were 
observed.  Beaver  are  also  abundant,  and  grizzly  bear 
are  said  to  be  fairly  common. 

Beyond  the  portage  the  Liard  has  an  average  width 
of  400  yards,  and  a  steady  current  ot  about  four  miles 
and  a  half  an  hour.  It  is  bordered  in  places  by  long 
gravel  and  sand  beaches,  and  encloses  occasionahy 
wooded  islands.  Various  small  streams  come  in,  and 
70  miles  above  the  Nelson,  at  the  confluence  of  the 
Smith  and  Liard,  is  the  site  of  Fort  Halkett,  a  Hud- 
son's Bay  trading  post,  which  has  been  abandoned 
since  1865.  Between  Fort  Halkett  and  Portage  Brule 
the  river  is  wide  and  filled  with  low  islands  and  bars, 
some  of  which  are  auriferous.  The  river  valley  is  low, 
lined  with  rov'<5  of  terraces  rising  up  to  a  height  of  sev- 
eral hundred  feet,  and  clothed  in  unwooded  portions  by 
as  luxuriant  a  growth  of  grasses  and  vetches  as  I  have 
ever  seen  in  any  part  of  the  country.  This  part  of  the 
country,  judging  from  the  luxuriance  of  the  vegetation 
and  the  character  of  the  soil,  seems  well  adapted  for 
agricultural  pursuits. 

The  rapids  at  Portage  Brule  are  about  two  miles 
long,  but  McConnell  says  that  they  are  not  very  formid- 
able.   "The  portage  itself  is  nearly  two  miles  long  and 


t! 


r 


264 


THE  GOLDEN  NORTH. 


leads  across  a  nearly  level,  well-wooded  flat,  which  at 
the  upper  end  of  the  portage  is  only  elevated  a  few 
feet  above  the  surface  o?  the  river,  but  at  the  lower  end 
is  terminated  by  a  sharp  descent  of  over  200  feet.  A 
good  track  v/as  cut  across  when  mining  was  being 
prosecuted  on  the  Liard,  and  a  windlass  built  at  the 
lower  end  for  the  purpose  of  hoisting  boats  up  the  steep 
bank,  both  of  which  are  still  (i.  e.  1887)  in  good  condi- 
tion/' 

Four  miles  above  Portage  Brule  the  river  is  again 
broken  by  several  small  but  strong  riffles,  which  can  be 
avoided  by  making  portages  a  few  yards  in  length. 
Whirlpool  Canyon,  the  first  rapid  reached,  can  be 
passed  in  safety  by  keeping  to  the  right  bank,  says  Mc- 
Connell.  Mountain  Portage  rapids,  a  little  above  Rab- 
bit River,  can  be  traversed  by  taking  a  small  channel 
on  the  left-hand  side  of  the  island ;  the  rapid  itself,  how- 
ever, is  one  of  the  worst  on  the  river.  Cranberry  rapid, 
some  distance  beyond  Mountain  portage,  is  also  bad 
and  necessitates  a  half  mile  portage  along  the  right 
bnnk.  From  here  to  Porcupine  Bar  navigation  is  safe, 
and  except  for  one  small  canyon  the  valley  is  wide 
and  bottomed  by  long,  narrow,  well-wooded  fats. 
Abandoned  miners'  camps  are  passed  all  the  way,  and 
the  country  is  everywhere  densely  wooded,  the  prin- 
cipal trees  being  the  white  spruce,  larch,  birch  and 
black  pine.  The  spruce,  which  obtains  here  a  diameter 
of  15  to  20  inches,  is  by  far  the  most  abundant  and  val- 
uable.   The  river  is  here  about  300  yards  in  width. 

Between  Porcupine  Bar  and  the  mouth  of  the  Dease 
River  there  occurs  but  one  serious  rapid — the  Little 
Canyon.  It  is  "about  hilf  a  mile  long  and  in  its  nar- 
rowest place  about  200  feet  wide.  It  is  easily  navig- 
able in  low  water,  but  is  dangeroui  for  small  boats  dur- 
ing floods,  as  the  channel  is  very  crooked,  and  the  cur- 
rent, striking  with  great  violence  against  the  right- 
hand  bank,  is  thrown  forcibly  back,  wfth  the  produc- 
tion of  a  number  of  breakers  running  nearly  length- 
wise with  the  direction  of  the   channel,    and    large 


THE  PEACE-LIARD-^ELLY  ROUTE 


265 


enough  to  swamp  any  ordinary  river  boat  which  is 
drawn  among  them.  A  number  of  Chinamen  were 
drowned  at  this  point  some  years  ago.  This  canyon 
can  be  run  with  safety  by  entering  it  nearly  in  the  mid- 
dle of  the  stream,  which  is  as  close  to  the  left-hand 
bank  as  the  lines  of  reefs  and  isolated  rocks  running 
out  from  that  side  will  allow,  and  once  past  there  mak- 
ing all  haste  to  the  left  so  as  to  clear  the  breakers  be- 
low." In  ascending  the  Liard  the  rapid  can  be  avoided 
by  a  portage  of  about  half  a  mile. 

Dease  river  enters  the  Liard  on  the  south,  160  miles 
above  the  mouth  of  the  Nelson.  The  Liard,  below  the 
Dease,  has  a  general  width  of  from  250  to  400  yards, 
but  widens  out  in  places  to  over  half  a  mile.  It  sepa- 
rates in  places  into  a  number  of  channels,  enclosing 
low  alluvial  islands,  usually  well  wooded.  Its  valley  is 
from  two  to  three  miles  v/ide,  and  is  shallow,  with  roll- 
ing banks  sloping  easily  up  to  the  genera!  level.  The 
country  is  everywhere  well  wooded,  but  the  trees  are 
usually  small,  seldom  exceeding  a  foot  in  diameter. 
Black  pine,  white  spruce,  poplar,  and  occasionally  birch 
are  seen. 

Mr.  McConnell,  in  describing  the  Indians  he  met 
with  at  the  mouth  of  the  Dease,  says  that  they  seldom 
ascend  the  Liard  with  canoes,  as  they  prefer  carrying 
their  outfits  along  the  shore,  the  character  of  the  river 
valley  permitting  them  to  do  this  with  greater  facility 
than  tracking  a  canoe  against  the  current. 

The  Liard,  just  above  the  mouth  of  the  Dease,  is  840 
feet  in  width,  with  a  maximum  velocity  of  4.54  miles 
per  hour,  according  to  Dr.  Dawson.  Six  miles  above 
the  mouth  of  the  Dease  the  entrance  to  the  Lower  can- 
yon is  reached.  The  canyon  is  three  miles  in  length 
and  at  high  water  it  is  said  to  be  necessary  to  portage 
the  whole  of  this  distance,  but  Dr.  Dawson's  party 
lightened  their  boats  and  made  four  <n\a\\  portages 
over  rocky  points  where  the  current  w  jts  dangerously 
swift.  Above  the  Lower  canyon  the  river  continues 
swift,  the  current  averaging  about  four  miles  an  hour 

18 


tHE  G6lDEN  north. 


and  much  exceeding  this  rate  in  many  places.  It  is 
wide  and  shallow,  and  in  places  becomes  a  complete 
maze  of  islands  and  gravelly  half-submerged  bars. 
The  river  valley  averages  about  two  miles  in  width, 
and  the  higher  ground  is  generally  wooded  with  spruce, 
while  the  black  ^yine  is  abundant  on  dry  terraces,  and 
groves  of  cottonwood  of  medium  size  often  occur  on 
the  flats.  However,  little  of  this  timber  is  of  useful  size 
or  quality.  Dr.  Dawson  remarks  that  when  he 
traversed  this  section  of  the  country  in  June,  1887, 
there  were  many  wild  flowers  in  evidence  and  the  wild 
roses  were  rapidly  coming  into  flower. 

About  midway  between  the  Dease  and  Frances,  a 
small  stream  enters  the  Liard  from  the  southwest,  and 
a  few  miles  above  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  river  a 
small  lake,  reputed  to  be  well  stocked  with  fish,  is  re- 
ported. From  the  mouth  of  Dease  River  to  the  con- 
fJuence  of  the  Frances,  the  general  bearing  of  the 
IJard  is  nearly  due  northwest,  the  distance  following 
the  course  of  the  river  being  45  miles. 

The  country  is  a  wide,  rolling  plateau,  with  an  av- 
erage elevation  of  about  500  feet  above  the  river.  This 
plateau  is  everywhere  wooded,  except  where  inter- 
(itjcted  by  grassy  or  mossy  swamps  of  small  area. 

The  Edmonton  Bulletin  thus  sums  up  the  route  thus 
far:  "Going  carefully  over  all  the  information  obtain- 
a;lj)le  as  to  this  part  of  the  rotite,  which  includes  the 
crossing  of  the  Rocky  mountains,  the  only  possible 
obstacle  to  pack  and  cattle  travel  at  present  would  be 
tljie  timber,  which  might  require  to  be  cut  through 
!!<i  places.  On  the  other  hand,  unless  the  conditions 
are  very  different  from  what  they  are  elsewhere  in  the 
North  West,  the  timber  would  not  form  a  very  serious 
c;.l)jection.  Feed  for  animals  must  certainly  exist  all 
along,  which  is  the  main  consideration,  and  the  cli- 
mate certainly  cannot  be  severe." 

Leaving  the  Liard  the  route  lies  up  the  Frances 
River,  which,  near  its  junction  with  the  Liard,  has  an 
an^crage  width  of  600  feet.     For  the  first  few  miles 


THE  PEACE-LIARD-PELLY  ROUTE. 


267 


above  its  mouth  the  Frances  is  extremely  tortuous, 
and  then,  22  miles  from  the  Liard,  the  Middle  canyon 
is  reached.  This  canyon  is  about  three  miles  in  length 
and  the  river  is  hemmed  in  by  broken,  rocky  cliffs  of 
200  to  3CK)  feet  in  height  for  the  greater  portion  of  the 
distance.  The  Dawson  party  took  their  boats  up  along 
the  southeast  bank,  making  four  short  portages  of  part 
of  their  outfit,  and  two  of  both  boats  and  load  across 
narrow  rocky  points.  One  portage  of  greater  length, 
says  Dr.  Dawson,  on  the  opposite  bank,  would  over- 
come all  the  really  bad  water,  but  the  banks  on  that 
side  are  rougher,  and  the  whole  force  of  the  current  sets 
against  the  cliff  in  one  place  in  a  dangerous  manner. 

Above  the  Middle  canyon  the  river  is,  in  the  main, 
bordered  by  quite  low  land  on  both  sides  for  about  12 
miles.  The  river  itself  is  wide  and  deep,  with  a  rather 
slack  current.  Proceeding  further,  the  current  be- 
comes swifter  and  several  streams  come  down  from  the 
small  lakes,  which  the  Indians  say  are  to  be  found  at 
some  distance  from  the  river.  Numerous  islands  are 
met  with,  but  there  is  no  difficulty  until  the  Upper  can- 
yon is  rea^hcvl-  30  miles  from  the  Liard.  This  canyon 
is  a  mile  ?'  "  a  quarter  long  and  is  occupied  by  a  series 
of  rap'  i. ,  .*^nu  h  are  rocky  and  rather  strong  and  have 
a  total  f  ^  r  ?  about  30  feet.  The  banks  rise  steeply 
from  the  riv  jr  10  heights  of  100  to  200  feet,  though  the 
rocky  cliffs  along  the  water  are  of  mconsiderable 
height,  scarcely  anywhere  exceeding  50  feet.  This  is 
the  last  serious  impediment  to  the  navigation  of  the 
river,. and  Dawson's  party  found  it  necessary  to  make 
several  short  portages,  but  with  a  large  boat  and  at  a 
good  stage  of  the  river  it  is  possible,  says  Dr.  Dawson, 
that  one  portage  of  about  1,000  feet  in  length,  on  the 
south  bank,  would  overcome  all  the  dangerous  water, 
while  the  boat  might  be  tracked  up  light. 

From  the  Upper  canyon  to  Frances  Lake,  a  distance 
of  21  1-2  miles  in  a  straight  line,  the  river  maintains  a 
northerly  direction.  It  is  deep,  with  a  moderate  cur- 
rent for  about  eight  miles  to  Moose    Island,    above 


268 


THE  GOLDEN  NORTH. 


which  the  current  is  again  swift,  averaging  from  four 
and  a  half  to  five  miles  an  hour.  It  again  becomes 
slack  for  a  short  distance  below  the  lake.  Some  por- 
tions of  this  part  of  the  river  are  much  broken  up  by 
islands  and  gravel  bars.  The  valley  is  partly  occupied 
by  terrace  flats  and  partly  of  wooded  hills. 

Frances  Lake  is  2,577  feet  above  the  sea  and  consists, 
really,  of  a  group  of  lakes  connected  by  narrow  chan- 
nels. Lake  trout,  white  fish,  pike  and  suckers  are  found 
in  abundance  in  its  waters.  All  the  lower  country 
around  the  lake  is  well  wooded,  white .  spruce,  black 
spruce,  larch,  birch  and  (on  the  flats)  cottonwood  and 
black  pine  being  all  found.  Dr.  Dawson  saw  in  July 
many  thickets  of  wild  roses  in  full  bloom.  These  indi- 
cations show  that  the  climate  is  moist  but  not  severe. 
Dr.  Dawson  remarks  that  the  snowfall  cannot  be  great, 
nor  is  there  any  indication  that  the  total  annual  pre- 
cipitation is  very  considerable. 

"In  general  appearance  the  rocks  of  Frances  Lake 
closely  resemble  those  from  which  the  rich  placer  gold 
deposits  of  Dease  Lake  are  derived.  *  *  *  .Sev- 
eral colors  to  the  pan  were  obtained  from  surface  gravel 
at  the  mouth  of  Finlayson  River,  which  struck  me  as 
specially  promising  in  aspect,  and  there  seems  no 
reason  why  some  of  the  streams  flowing  across  the 
schistose  rocks  into  the  lake  or  in  its  vicinity  should 
not  prove  to  be  richly  auriferous.  This  entire  district 
well  deserves  careful  prospecting.  After  my  return  to 
the  coast  in  the  autumn,  I  ascertained  from  Charles 
Monroe  that  he  and  some  other  miners  had  actually 
done  some  prospecting  in  the  vicinity  of  the  lake  at  the 
time  when  the  Cassiar  mines  were  yielding  largely,  and 
the  more  enterprising  men  were  scouring  the  country 
in  search  oi  new  fields.  On  comparing  notes  we  found 
that  he  had  worked  for  a  short  time  at  the  mouth  of 
the  Finlayson,  where  he  found  the  gravel  to  pay  at 
the  rate  of  from  $8  to  $9  a  day."  Geological  Survey 
of  Canada,  Annual  Report,  1887-8,  vol.  iii.,  pt.  i,  page 
113.    (Dawson.) 


1^ 


mm. 


m 


THE  PEAC£-LIARD-PEH,y  ROUTE. 


269 


The  region  between  Frances  Lake  and  Pelly  River 
is  somewhat  mounitainous,  but  the  mountains  at  no 
point  attain  any  very  high  altitude.  The  country  is 
traversed  by  wide  wooded  valleys,  of  which  that  occu- 
pied by  the  Finlayson  River  is  the  principal.  The  cli- 
mate becomes  less  moist  as  Frances  Lake  is  left  be- 
hind. "Grassy  swamps  are  found  in  a  number  of 
places,  and  a  good  growth  of  grass  is  also  met  with, 
where  areas  have  been  denuded  of  forest  by  successive 
fires,  so  that  should  it  ever  become  desirable  to  use 
horses  on  this  portage,  they  might  be  maintained  with- 
out difficulty." 

Professor  Dawson  crossed  this  divide  between  the 
Frances  and  Pelly  Rivers  by  ascending  Finlayson 
River.  He  says  that  the  k  ver  part  of  the  Finlayson 
for  about  four  miles,  near  its  mouth,  forms  a  series  of 
rapids  and  small  cascades  in  a  narrow  rocky  gorge  and 
is  utterly  impassable.  His  party  found  their  way  along 
the  valley  with  heavy  packs ;  the  canoe  was  brought  up 
the  stream  by  two  Indians.  Above  the  rapids  the  river 
is  shallow,  but  further  on  it  becomes  a  narrow  and  deep 
stream.  Twenty-two  miles  from  Lake  Frances  it  di- 
vides into  two  branches,  the  southern  oi  which  come.s> 
from  Finlayson  Lake. 

Finlayson  Lake,  about  nine  and  a  half  miles  long, 
3,105  feet  above  sea  level,  occupies  the  summit  of  the 
water-shed  between  the  Mackenzie  and  the  Ym  on.  It 
is  well  stocked  with  white  fish  and  lake  trout.  The  im- 
mediate shores  of  the  lake  are  generally  quite  low  and 
often  swampy,  and  the  country  is  covered  with  small, 
poor  timber,  much  of  which  has  been  killed  by  fire. 

The  distance  from  the  head  of  the  lake  to  the  nearest 
point  on  the  Pelly  River,  in  a  straight  line,  is  about 
fifteen  miles,  but  tKe  route  which  the  contour  of  the 
land  compels  the  traveler  to  take  is  nearer  twenty 
miles.  White  and  black  spruce  are  found,  and  the  veg- 
etation in  the  vicinity  of  the  Pelly  is  abundant.  The 
soil  of  the  river  terraces  is  a  fine  silty  material,  which, 


■  u 


i\ 


270 


THE  (Golden  north. 


judging  from  the  luxuriance  of  plant  growth,  '  lust  be 
very  rich. 

Professor  Dawson  took  ten  days  to  travel  from  Lake 
Frances  to  Pelly  River,  but  he  observes  that  if  he  had 
had  Indian  guides  he  would  in  all  probability  have 
shortened  the  land  carriage  and  possibly  have  found  a 
traveled  Indian  trail.  The  Hudson's  Bay  Company, 
years  ago,  used  a  trail  over  the  divide,  but  beyond  two 
abandoned  caches,  no  trace  of  it  was  discovered  by 
the  Dawson  party. 

At  the  point  where  the  Pelly  River  is  i  cached  from 
Lake  Frances  it  is  326  feet  wide,  with  a  current  slightly 
exceeding  two  miles  and  a  half  an  hour,  and  a  depth  of 
seven  feet.  When  Professor  Dawson  took  his  observa- 
tions, however,  the  river  was,  he  says,  probably  below 
its  mean  stage.  The  old  Hudson's  Bay  post,  Pelly 
Banks,  was  situated  at  this  point,  but  the  buildings 
have  disappeared.  For  thirty-three  miles,  down  to 
where  Hoole  River  joins  the  Pelly,  the  navigation  is 
unobstructed  and  the  current  is  moderate.  The  banks 
are  muddy,  and  the  south  bank  in  particular  is  densely 
wooded,  and,  where  shady  and  damp,  the  growth  of 
timber  is  small  and  scrubby,  with  much  black  spruce. 

"Just  below  the  mouth  of  Hoole  River  is  a  rapid 
about  600  feet  long  with  a  total  fall  estimated  at  about 
ten  feet,  There  is  an  easy  portage  on  the  right  or  north 
bank,  but  a  fair-sized  beat  might  run  through  without 
danger  at  most  stages  of  the  water."  From  this  rapid 
to  Hoole  canyon,  a  distance  of  ten  miles,  the  water  is 
swift.  At  Hoole  canyon  the  most  formidable  rapid  oc- 
curs. The  river  makes  a  knee-like  bend  to  the  north- 
eastward and  is  constricted  between  rocky  banks  and 
cliflfs  about  a  hundred  feet  in  height.  These  render  it 
impracticable  to  use  the  line,  and  the  water  is  very 
rough  and  dangerous.  Professor  Dawson  found  it 
necessary  to  carry  all  his  effects  and  his  canoe  to  the 
lower  end  of  the  canyon.  The  distance  by  the  river 
is  about  three-quarters  of  a  mile,  and  the  portage  is  half 
a  m'le,  the  highest  point  being  one  hundred  f©et  above 


i 


^ 


THE  PEACE-LIARD-PELLY  POUTE. 


271 


the  riv«r.  The  portage  is  on  the  south  side  of  the  river, 
and  Professor  Dawson  remarks  that  he  found  traces 
on  it  of  skids  which  had  been  laid  by  the  Hudson's  Bay 
Company  many  years  ago,  but  no  sign  of  its  having 
been  employed  by  the  Indians,  who  in  all  this  district 
generally  travel  by  land,  making  rafts  when  they  are 
obliged  to  cross  any  of  the  hirger  rivers. 

Proceeding  down  the  Pelly,  which  is  swift  in  all  this 
part  of  its  course,  Ross  River  is  passed,  twenty-three 
miles  from  the  Hoole  canyon,  and  then  there  follows  a 
stretch  of  good  water  for  eighty-two  miles  to  where  the 
Glenlyon  River  joins  the  Pelly.  All  the  way  from  the 
Ross  to  the  Glenlyon,  the  Pelly  is  closely  bordered  on 
the  north  by  hills  of  considerable  height  and  densely 
wooded.  On  the  south  the  mountains  are  distant  some 
six  miles  from  the  river,  the  intervening  country  being 
occupied  by  lower  wooded  hills  and  broken  country. 
For  rather  more  than  half  the  distance  between  the 
Ross  and  Glenlyon  the  Pelly  continues  to  be  pretty 
swift  and  is  much  divided  among  islands  and  gravel 
bars;  the  remaining  part  is  comparatively  tranquil,  till 
the  Glenlyon  is  reached.  Cottonwood,  aspen,  alder, 
spruce  and  willows  are  the  prevailing  trees  on  the  river 
flats;  and  on  higher  ground  the  birch  is  abundant  and 
the  black  pine  is  also  found. 

'  In  the  immediate  vicinity  of  the  mouth  of  the  Glen- 
lyon River  are  two  rapids.  The  first  is  about  two  miles 
above  the  Glenlyon.  It  is  wide  and  rather  shallow  with 
some  rocky  impediments.  Professor  Dawson  says  it 
is  easily  run  with  a  canoe,  but,  at  low  stages  of  the 
river,  doubtfully  passable  for  a  steamer,  unless  of  light 
draft.  The  second  rapid  is  immediately  below  the  junc- 
tion of  the  Glenlyon  and  Pelly.  Here  the  current 
strikes  full  on  the  face  of  a  rocky  bank  on  the  right  of 
the  river,  and  forms  a  heavy  confused  wash  in  conse- 
quence, but  is  otherwise  unimpeded  and  deep. 

From  the  Glenlyon  River  to  the  junction  of  the  Pelly 
and  Macmillan  is  ninety-one  miles  following  the  course 
of  the    river.     Several   small    creeks   occur,   but    no 


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2^2 


THE  GOLDEN  NORTH. 


Streams  of  any  size.  For  the  first  twenty  miles  of  this 
distance  the  Pelly  is  more  tlian  usually  free  from  abrupt 
bends,  and  few  islands  are  met  with.  There  are  exten- 
sive grassy  slopes  on  the  hills  which  border  the  north 
bank.  A  number  of  small  riffles  are  met,  but  none  are 
of  a  character  to  offer  impediment  to  navigation,  and 
the  current  averages  about  three  miles  an  hour.  The 
Macmillan  River  is  almost  as  large  as  the  Pelly,  meas- 
uring 455  feet  in  width  just  above  its  mouth,  but  it  has 
never  been  explored.  Two  prospectors  told  Professor 
Dawson  that  they  had  ascended  the  Macmillan  for  sev- 
eral days  and  that  there  was  a  large  area  of  low  land 
with  good  soil  in  the  river  basin,  but  that  mining  pros- 
pects were  not  encouraging. 

From  the  mouth  of  the  Macmillan  to  the  confluence 
of  the  Pelly  and  L.ewis  Rivers,  measured  along  the 
course  of  the  stream,  is  seventy-four  miles  and  the 
stream  is  exceedingly  tortuous.  Five  and  a  half  miles 
below  the  Macmillan  the  Pelly  is  754  feet  in  width,  with 
a  current  of  2.3  miles  per  hour.  Thirteen  miles  from 
the  Macmillan,  Granite  canyon  is  reached.  The  can- 
yon is  about  four  miles  in  length  with  steep,  rocky 
banks  200  to  250  feet  in  height.  In  the  canyon  are  sev- 
eral little  rapids,  but  the  water  is  deep,  and  with  the 
exception  of  some  isolated  rocks,  the  navigation  would 
be  quite  safe  for  steamers  even  at  a  low  stage  of  water. 
As  the  water  is  much  confined.  Professor  Dawson 
opines  that  pretty  rough  water  may  be  found  here  dur- 
ing floods.  After  passing  the  ridge  which  is  cut 
through  by  Granite  Canyon,  the  country  on  both  sides 
of  the  river  for  about  fifteen  miles  is  quite  low.  Wide 
terraces  run  back  from  the  river,  and  these  are  often 
highly  wooded  and  are  clothed  with  a  good  growth  of 
grass.  The  soil  is  good.  The  remaining  distance  to 
the  mouth  of  the  Lewis,  the  river  is  more  closely  bor- 
dered by  low  hills,  the  southern  slopes  of  which  are 
generally  open  and  grassy,  and  would  af¥ord  excellent 
pasturasfe.  The  northern  exposures  are  pretty  thickly 
wooded. 


■'■1\;: 


^^ 


THE  PEACELIARD-PELLY  ROUTE. 


2/3 


11 
1^ 


The  country  about  the  confluence  of  the  Lewis  and 
Pelly  is,  generally  speaking,  low,  with  extensive  ter- 
race flats.  The  Lewis  itself  is  considerably  larger  than 
the  Pelly  and  swifter,  and  the  united  rivers  measure 
about  a  quarter  of  a  mile  in  width,  just  below  the  junc- 
tion. 

The  ruins  of  Fort  Selkirk,  formerly  a  post  of  the 
Hudson's  Bay  Co.,  stand  on  the  south  side  at  a  short 
distance  from  the  river.  It  was  at  one  time  the  most 
important  post  of  the  H.  B.  C.  to  the  west  of  the  Rocky 
Mountains  in  the  far  north,  and  with  the  exception  of 
Fort  Yukon,  it  was  the  most  western  permanent  post 
ever  maintained  by  the  company. 

The  total  length  of  the  Pelly  from  the  point  where 
it  is  reached  at  the  west  end  of  the  Lake  Frances  por- 
tage to  its  confluence  with  the  Lewis  is  320  miles.  On 
the  subject  of  the  navigability  the  following  remarks  by 
Professor  Dawson  are  entitled  to  the  greatest  weight: 
"With  the  exception  of  Granite  Canyon,  where  warp- 
ing might  have  to  be  resorted  to  at  one  place,  the  river 
would  be  easily  navigable  for  stern-wheel  steamers  as 
far  up  as  the  mouth  of  the  Macmillan,  and  the  latter 
stream  is  also  navigable  for  a  considerable,  though  un- 
known distance.  Above  the  Macmillan,  1  believe,  no 
serious  difficulty  would  be  met  with  in  taking  a  small 
stern-wheel  steamer  of  good  power  up  to  the  mouth  of 
Ross  River,  and  possibly  as  far  as  the  foot  of  Hoole 
Canyon.  A  line  might  have  to  be  carried  ashore  at  a 
few  of  the  stronger  rapids,  but  the  chief  difficulty  to  be 
encountered  would  be  from  shoal  water  at  low  stages. 
Where  the  river  is  widely  spread  and  swift,  a  depth  of 
three  feet  could  scarcely  be  found  across  some  of  the 
gravelly  bars.  *  *  *  Hoole  Canyon  is,  of  course, 
quite  impassable  for  a  steamer  of  any  kind,  and  the 
rapid  met  with  seventeen  miles  east  of  it,  at  the  mou^^h 
of  Hoole  River,  might  prove  to  be  a  difficult  one  to 
surmount  by  warping,  its  fall  being  estimated  at  about 
eight  feet.  Above  this  point  the  river  is  again,  how- 
ever, an  easily  navigable  one  for  small  steamers  to  the 

18 


374 


THE  GOLDEN  NORTH. 


furthest  point  seen  by  us,  and  possibly  as  far  as  the 
lakes." 

Professor  Dawson  further  reports  that  small  colors 
of  gold  may  be  found  in  almost  any  suitable  locality 
along  the  river,  and  heavy  colors  in  considerable  num- 
bers were  found  by  him  as  far  up  as  the  mouth  of  Hoole 
River.  The  head  waters  of  the  Macmillan  and  Ross 
and  those  of  the  Pelly  itself  yet  remain  unprospected, 
as  well  as  the  very  numerous  tributary  streams  of  these 
rivers. 

Such  is  the  shortest  and  most  convenient  route  to 
the  gold  fields  of  the  far  north.  The  whole  distance 
from  Edmonton  to  Dawson  City  may  be  covered  easily 
in  two  or  three  months,  and  by  parties  going  light,  in 
less  than  two  months.  The  best  time  to  leave  Edmon- 
ton is  early  in  March,  so  as  to  reach  the  foot  of  the 
Rockies  just  as  the  snow  disappears  and  the  ice  is  yet 
available  in  the  river  bottoms.  This  will  undoubtedly 
become  the  most  favored  route  to  the  Klondike. 


mm 


APPENDIX. 


275 


APPENDIX  I. 


ROUTES  AND  DISTANCES. 

A  summary  of  routes  and  distances  to  the  gold  fields 
on  both  the  eastern  and  western  slopes  of  the  Rockies 
of  the  far  north  will  prove  of  value : 

NORTHWESTERN  ROUTE. 

MILES. 

Chicago  to  Winnipeg  (Railway) , 1,000 

Winnipeg  to  Edmonton  (Railway) i,ico 

Edmonton  to  gold  fields  head  of  Peace  River 

(Overland) yc,Q 

Peace  River  gold  fields  to  the  Klondike 800 

CHILKOOT  ROUTE. 

Seattle  to  Dyea S84 

Dyea  to  foot  of  Canyon 7 

Canyon  to  Sheep  Camp 5 

Sheep  Camp  to  Summit 3 

Summit  to  Lake  Lindeman 9 

Lake  Lindeman  (length) 6 

Portage  to  Lake  Bennett i 

Lake  Bennett  (length) ,.<*  25 

Cariboo  Crossing  to  Lake  Tagish 2 

WHITE  PASS  ROUTE. 

Seattle  to  Skaguay 884 

Dyea  to  Tako  Arm 35 

Tako  Arm  to  Lake  Tagish 20 

Tagish  Lake  (length) 16 

River  to  Lake  Marsh 5 


■J  I 

1 


fit 


27^  THE  GOLDEN  NORTH,  s 

MILES. 

Lake  Marsh  (fength) 20 

Head  of  Lake  Marsh  to  Miles  Canyon .  ^^ , , . , .-.  23 

Miles  Canyon  to  White  Horse  Rapids. ......  /  '  2| 

White  Horse  Rapids | 

Foot  of  White  Horse    Rapids    to    Tahkeena 

River ..... .  13 

Tahkeena  River  to  Lake  Le  Barge. .........  11^ 

Lake  Le  Barge  (length) 31 

Lake  Le  Barge  to  Hootalinqua  River. .......  2'j\ 

Hootalinqua  River  to  Big  Salmon  River. .....  31 

Big  .Salmon  River  to  Little  Salmon  River ^34 

Little  Salmon  River  to  Five  Fingers 53 

Five  Fingers  to  Pelly  River 55 

Pelly  River  to  White  River 9 

White  River  to  Stewart  River , .  9 

Stewart  River  to  Sixty-Mile  River. 21 

Sixty-Mile  River  to  Dawson  City 49 

Dawson  City  to  Forty-Mile 52 

Forty- Mile  to  Fort  Cudahy .  | 

Fort  Cudahy  to  Circle  City 240 


Total  Dyea  to  Circle  City  via  Chilkoot  Pass .      762 
Total  Skaguay  to  Circle  City  via  White  Pass.      759 

VIA    ST.  MICHAEL'S  AND  YUKON  RIVER. 


Seattle  to  St.  Michael's 3,ooo 

St.  Michael's  to  Kutlik 100 

Kutlik  to  Andreafski 125 

Andreafski  to  Holy  Cross 145 

Holy  Cross  to  Koserefsky 5 

Koserefsky  to  Anvik 75 

Anvik  to  Nulato 225 

Nulato  to  Narikatat 145 

Narikatat  to  Janana 80 

Janana  to  Fort  Yukon  450 

Fort  Yukon  to  Circle  City 80 

Circle  City  to  Forty  Mile " 240 

Forty  Mile  to  Dawson  City 52 


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APPENDIX.  277 
VIA  TAIYA  PASS. 

MH.KS. 

Victoria  to  Taiya   . . . . , . ..;... , 1,000 

Taiya  to  Cudahy 650 

VIA  STIKINE  RIVER. 

Victoria  to  Wrangel 750 

Wrangel  to  Telegraph  Creek 150 

Telegraph  Creek  to  Teslin  Lake 1 50 

Teslin  Lake  to  Cudahy 650 

DISTANCES  FROM  HEAD  OF  TAIYA  INLET. 

Head  of  canoe  navigation,  Taiya  River 5.90 

Forks  of  Taiya  River 8.38 

Summit  of  Taiya  Pass 1476 

Landing  at  Lake  Lindeman 23.06 

Foot  of  Lake  Lindeman 27.49 

Head  of  Lake  Bennett 28.09 

Boundary  Line  B.  C.  and  N.  W.  T.  (Lat.  60). .  38.09 

Foot  of  Lake  Bennett 53-85 

Foot  of  Cariboo  Crossing  (Lake  Nares) 56.44 

Foot  of  Tagish  Lake 73-25 

Head  of  Marsh  Lake 78.15 

Foot  of  Marsh  Lake 97-21 

Head  of  Canyon 122.94 

Foot  of  Canyon 123.56 

Head  of  White  Horse  Rapids .  124.95 

Foot  of  White  Horse  Rapids 125.33 

Tahkeena  River 1 39.92 

Head  of  Lake  Le  Barge i53-07 

Foot  of  L  ke  Le  Barge 184.22 

Teslintoo  River 215.88 

Big  Salmon  River 249.33 

Little  Salmon  River  285.54 

Five  Finger  Rapids 344-83 

Pelly  River 403.29 

White  River 499-1 1 


I 


278  THE  GOLDEN  NORTH. 

MILES. 

Stewart  River 508.91 

Sixty-Mile  Creek 530.41 

Dawson   City  575-70 

Fort  Reliance 582.20 

Forty-Mile  River 627.08 

Boundary  Line 667.43 

MACKENZIE  RIVER  ROUTE. 

Edmonton  to  Athabasca  Landing  90 

Athabasca  Landing  to  Grand  Rapids 167 

Grand  Rapids  to  Fort  McMurray 87 

Fort  McMurray  to  Smith's  Landing 287 

Smith's  Landing  to  Fort  Smith "  I'S" 

Fort  Smith  to  Fort  Resolution 190 

Fort  Resolution  to  Fort  Providence 167 

Fort  Providence  to  Fort  Simpson 157 

Fort  Simpson  to  Fort  Wrigley 134 

Fort  Wrigley  to  Fort  Norman 180 

Fort  Norman  to  Fort  Good  Hope 169 

Fort  Good  Hope  to  Fort  Macpherson 374 

Fort  Macpherson  to  La  Pierre's  House 60 

La  Pierre's  House  to  the  Porcupine  20 

Porcupine  to  the  Yukon 400 

Total    2,424 


A* 
I- 


PEACE-LIARD-PELLY  ROUTE. 


Edmonton  to  Peace  River  Crossing 260 

Peace  River  to  Nelson  Forks 240 

Down  Nelson  to  the  Junction  with  Liard 120 

Up  Liard  to  Dease  River 160 

Dease  River  to  Pelly  River 170 

Pelly  River  to  the  Junction  with  Lewis 220 

Lewis  River  to  Klondike 200 

Total ....;.. 1,370 


^■i 


^^^ 


APt>ENI>I3{. 


^ 


APPENDIX  II. 

FACTS  ABOUT  GOLD. 

In  calculating  the  value  of  gold,  one  must  figure  on 
the  basis  of  Troy  weight:  24  grains  one  pennyweight, 
20  pennyweight  one  ounce,  12  ounces  one  pound.  The 
price  fixed  by  the  United  States  Government  for  pure 
gold  is  $20.67  per  ounce.  Pure  gold  is  1,000  fine  or 
24  carats.  The  term  carat  is  used  to  indicate  degrees 
of  fineness.  Gold  is  divided  into  24  carats  or  degrees 
of  fineness.  Pure  gold,  being  24  carats  fine  is  worth 
as  above  stated.  The  other  degrees  range  in  price,  as 
to  weight,  as  follows: 


22  carat $18.94 

20  carat 17.22 

18  carat ." .   15.50 

16  carat 1378 

6  carat  . . 


14  carat $12.05 

12  carat iO-33i 

10  carat 8.61 

8  carat 6.89 

. .     516 


Gold  used  by  jewelers  is  seldom  less  than  6  carats 
fine.  Following  is  the  price,  per  ounce,  according  to 
fineness: 

Gold  1,000  fine  is  worth $20.67 

Gold  900  fine  is  worth 18.60 

Gold  800  fine  is  worth 16.53 

Gold  700  fine  is  worth  I447 

Gold  600  fine  is  worth 12.40 

Gold  500  fine  is  worth iO-33 

Gold  400  fine  is  worth 8.26 

Gold  300  fine  is  worth 6.20 

Gold  200  fine  is  worth 4.13 

Gold  100  fine  is  worth 2.06 


I 


28o 


THE  GOLDEN  NORTH. 


An  ounce  Troy  or  Apothecaries'  weight  contains  480 
Troy  grains.  An  ounce  Avoirdupois  weight  contains 
437i  Troy  grains.  The  grain  is  the  unit  of  Troy  and 
Apothecaries'  weight,  and  the  ounce  is  the  unit  of  the 
Avoirdupois  weight.  One  pound  Troy  or  Apothecar- 
ies' weight  contains  5,760  Troy  grains.  One  pound 
Avoirdupois  weight  contains  7,000  Troy  grains. 

All  natural  gold — that  is,  gold  extracted  from  rocljs 
or  washed  from  the  beds  of  streams — contains  some 
alloy,  generally  silver,  but  som.etimes  platinum,  copper 
and  tellurium,  and  it  varies  in  amount  in  different  local- 
ities. 


ppiiiPPnpivnpnFfn^ 


APPENDIX. 


281 


APPENDIX  III. 

CANADIAN  AND  ALASKAN  MINING  LAWS 
AND  REGULATIONS. 

Following  are  the  Canadian  and  Alaskan  Mining 
Laws  and  Regulations  in  full: 

CANADIAN. 
Nature  and  Size  of  Claims. 

1.  Bar  diggings,  a  strip  of  land  100  feet  wide  at  high- 
water  mark  and  thence  extending  into  the  river  to  its 
lowest  water  level. 

2.  The  sides  of  a  claim  for  bar  diggings  shall  be  two 
parallel  lines  run  as  nearly  as  possible  at  right  angles 
to  the  stream  and  shall  be  marked  by  four  legal  posts, 
one  at  each  end  of  the  claim,  at  or  about  high-water 
mark;  also  one  at  each  end  of  the  claim  at  or  about 
the  edge  of  the  water.  One  of  the  posts  at  high-water 
mark  shall  be  legibly  marked  with  the  name  of  the 
miner  and  the  date  upon  which  the  claim  was  staked. 

3.  Dry  diggings  shall  be  100  feet  square,  and  shall 
have  placed  at  each  of  its  four  corners  a  legal  post, 
upon  one  of  which  shall  be  legiblv  marked  the  name  of 
the  miner  and  the  date  upon  which  the  claim  was 
staked. 

4.  Creek  and  river  claims  shall  be  500  feet  long 

measured  in  the  direction  of  the  general  course  of  the 

stream,  and  shall  extend  in  width  from  base  to  base  of 

the  hill  or  bench  on  each  side,  but  Vvhen  the  hiHs  or 

benches  are  less  than  100  feet  apart  the  claim  may  be 

100  feet  in  depth.    The  sides  of  a  claim  shall  be  two 
10 


■P" 


38j 


THE  GOLDEN  NORTH. 


parallel  lines  run  as  nearly  as  possible  at  right  angles 
to  the  stream.  The  sides  shall  be  marked  with  legal 
posts  at  or  about  the  edge  of  the  water  and  at  the  rear 
boundaries  of  the  claim.  One  of  the  legal  posts  at  the 
stream  shall  be  legibly  marked  with  the  name  of  the 
miner  and  the  date  upon  which  the  claim  was  staked. 

5.  Bench  claims  shall  be  100  feet  square. 

6.  In  defining  the  size  of  claims  they  shall  be  meas- 
ured horizontally,  irrespective  oi  inequalities  on  the 
surface  of  the  ground. 

7.  If  any  person  or  persons  shall  discover  a  new 
mine,  and  such  discovery  shall  be  established  to  the 
satisfaction  of  the  gold  commissioner,  a  claim  for  bar 
diggings  750  feet  in  length  may  be  granted.  A  new 
stratum  or  auriferous  earth  or  gravel  situated  in  a 
locality  where  the  claims  are  abandoned  shall  for  this 
purpose  be  deemed  a  new  mine,  although  the  same 
locality  shall  have  been  previously  worked  at  a  different 
level. 

8.  The  forms  of  application  for  a  grant  for  placer 
mining  and  the  grant  of  the  same  shall  be  those  con- 
tained in  forms  "H"  and  "I"  in  the  schedule  hereto. 

9.  A  claim  shall  be  recorded  with  the  gold  commis- 
sioner in  whose  district  it  is  situated  within  three  days 
after  the  location  thereof,  if  it  is  located  within  ten 
miles  of  the  commissioner's  office.  One  extra  day 
shall  be  allowed  for  making  such  record  for  every  ad- 
ditional ten  miles  or  fraction  thereof. 

10.  xn  the  event  of  the  absence  of  the  gold  commis- 
sioner from  his  office,  entry  for  a  claim  may  be  granted 
by  any  person  whom  he  may  appoint  to  perform  his 
duties  in  his  absence. 

11.  Entry  shall  not  be  granted  for  a  claim  which 
has  not  been  staked  by  the  applicant  in  person  in  the 
manner  specified  in  these  regulations.  An  affidavit 
that  the  claim  was  staked  out  by  the  applicant  shall 
be  embodied  in  form  "H"  of  the  schedule  hereto. 

12.  An  entry  fee  of  $15.00  shall  be  charged  for  the 
first  year  and  an  annual  fee  of  $100.00  for  each  of  the 


APPENDIX. 


283 


following  years.    This  provision  shall  apply  to  loca- 
tions for  which  entries  have  already  been  granted. 

13.  After  the  recording  of  a  claim  the  removal  of  any 
post  by  the  holder  thereof  or  by  any  person  acting  in 
his  behalf  for  the  purpose  of  changing  the  boundaries 
of  his  claim  shall  act  as  a  forfeiture  of  the  claim. 

14.  The  entry  of  every  holder  for  a  grant  for  placer 
mining  must  be  renewed  and  his  receipt  relinquished 
and  replaced  every  year.  The  entry  fee  being  paid  each 
year. 

15.  No  miner  shall  receive  a  grant  for  more  than  one 
mining  claim  in  the  same  locality,  but  thr  -  ime  miner 
may  hold  any  number  of  claims  by  purchat*  and  any 
number  of  miners  may  unite  to  work  the'r  claims  in 
common  upon  such  terms  as  they  may  ■irra.:ge,  pro- 
vided such  agreement  be  registered  with  the  gold  com- 
mission e"  and  a  fee  of  $5.00  paid  for  each  registra- 
tion. 

^6.  Any  miner  or  miners  may  sell,  mortgage  or  dis- 
pose of  his  or  their  claims,  provided  such  disposal  be 
registered  with  a  fee  of  $2.00  paid  to  the  gold  com- 
missioner, who  shall  thereupon  give  the  assignee  a 
certificate  in  form  *'J"  in  the  schedule  hereto. 

17.  Every  miner  shall  during  the  continuance  of  his 
grant  have  the  exclusive  right  of  entry  upon  his  own 
claim,  for  the  miner-like  working  thereof,  and  the 
construction  of  a  residence  thereon,  and  shall  be  en- 
titled exclusively  to  all  the  proceeds  realized  therefrom ; 
but  he  shall  have  no  surface  rights  therein;  and  the 
gold  commissioner  may  grant  to  the  holders  of  ad- 
jacent claims  such  right  of  entry  thereon  as  may  be 
absolutely  necessary  for  the  working  of  their  claims, 
upon  such  terms  as  may  to  him  seem  reasonable.  He 
may  also  grant  permits  to  miners  to  cut  timber  thereon 
for  their  own  use,  upon  payment  of  the  dues  prescribed 
by  the  regulations  in  that  behalf. 

18.  Every  miner  shall  be  entitled  to  the  use  of  so 
much  of  the  water  naturally  flowing  through  or  past 
his  claim,  and  not  already  lawfully  appropriated,  as 


284 


THE  GOLDEN  NORTH. 


shall,  in  the  opinion  of  the  gold  commissioner  be 
necessary  for  the  due  working  thereof;  and  shall  be 
entitled  to  drain  his  own  claim  free  of  charge. 

19.  A  claim  shall  be  deemed  to  be  abandoned  and 
open  to  occupation  and  entry  by  any  person  when  the 
same  shall  have  remained  unworked  on  working  days 
by  the  grantee  thereof  or  by  some  person  on  his  be- 
half for  the  space  of  seventy-two  hours,  unless  sickness 
or  other  reasonable  cause  be  shown  to  the  satisfaction 
of  the  gold  commissioner,  or  unless  the  grantee  is  ab- 
sent on  leave  given  by  the  commissioner,  and  the  gold 
commissioner,  upon  obtaining  evidence  satisfactory  to 
himself  that  this  provision  is  not  being  complied  with, 
may  cancel  the  entry  given  for  claim. 

20.  If  the  land  upon  which  a  claim  has  been  located 
is  not  the  property  of  the  crown,  it  will  be  necessary  for 
the  person  who  applied  for  entry  to  furnish  proof  that 
he  has  acquired  from  the  owner  of  the  land  the  sur- 
face ri.hts  before  entry  can  be  granted. 

21.  If  the  occupier  of  the  lands  has  not  received  a 
patent  therefor,  the  purchase  money  of  the  surface 
rights  must  be  paid  to  the  crown,  and  a  patent  of  the 
surface  rights  will  issue  to  the  party  who  acquired  the 
mining  rights.  The  money  so  collected  will  either  be 
refunded  to  the  occupier  of  the  land,  when  he  is  en- 
titled to  a  patent  therefor,  or  will  be  credited  to  him 
on  account  of  payment  for  land. 

22.  When  the  party  obtaining  the  mining  rights  to 
lands  cannot  make  an  arrangement  with  the  owner 
thereof  for  the  acquisition  of  the  surface  rights,  it  shall 
be  lawful  for  him  to  give  notice  to  the  owner  or  his 
agent  or  the  occupier  to  appoint  an  arbitrator  to  act  with 
another  arbitrator  named  by  him,  in  order  to  award  the 
amount  of  compensation  to  which  the  owner  or  occu- 
pant shall  be  entitled.  The  notice  mentioned  in  this 
section  shall  be  according  to  form  to  be  obtained  upon 
application  from  the  gold  commissioner  for  the  dis- 
trict in  which  the  lands  in  question  lie,  and  shall,  when 
practicable,  be  personally  served  on  such  owntr,  itr 


APPENDIX. 


285 


his  agent,  if  known,  or  occupant ;  and  after  reasonable 
efforts  have  been  made  to  effect  personal  service  with- 
out success,  then  such  notice  shall  be  served  by  leaving 
it  at,  or  sending  by  registered  letter  to,  the  last  place 
of  abode  of  the  owner,  agent  or  occupant.  Such  notice 
shall  be  served  upon  the  owner,  or  agent,  within  a 
period  to  be  fixed  by  the  gold  commissioner  before 
the  expiration  of  the  time  limited  in  such  notice.  If 
the  proprietor  refuses  or  declines  to  appoint  an  arbitra- 
tor, or  when,  for  any  other  reason,  no  arbitrator  is  ap- 
pointed by  the  proprietor  in  the  time  limited  therefor 
in  the  notice  provided  for  by  this  section,  the  gold  com- 
missioner for  the  district  in  which  the  lands  in  question 
lie  shall,  on  being  satisfied  by  affidavit  that  such  notice 
has  come  to  the  knowledge  of  such  owner,  agent  or  oc- 
cupant, or  that  such  owner,  agent  or  occupant  wilfully 
evades  the  ^.ervice  of  such  notice,  or  cannot  be  found, 
and  that  reasonable  efforts  have  been  made  to  effect 
such  service,  and  that  the  notice  was  left  at  the  last 
place  of  abode  of  such  owner,  agent  or  occupant,  ap- 
point an  arbitrator  on  his  behalf. 

23.  (a)  All  arbitrators  appointed  under  the  authori- 
ty of  these  regulations  shall  be  sworn  before  a  Justice 
of  the  Peace  to  the  impartial  discharge  of  the  duties  as- 
signed to  them,  and  they  shall  forthwith  proceed  to  es- 
timate the  reasonable  damages  which  the  owner  or  oc- 
cupants of  such  lands,  according  to  their  several  inter- 
ests therein,  shall  sustain  by  reason  of  such  prospect- 
ing and  mhiing  operations. 

(b)  In  estimating  such  damages,  the  arbitrators  shall 
determine  'he  value  of  the  land  irrespectively  of  any 
enhancement  thereof  from  the  existence  of  minerals 
therein. 

(c)  In  case  such  arbitrators  cannot  agree,  they  may 
select  a  third  arbitrator,  and  when  the  two  arbitrators 
cannot  agree  upon  a  third  arbitrator  the  Gold  Commis- 
sioner for  the  district  in  which  the  lands  in  question  lie 
shall  select  such  third  arbitrator. 

(d)  The  award  of  any  two  such  arbitrators  made  in 


286 


THE  GOLDEN  NORTH. 


writing  shaM  be  final,  and  shall  be  filed  with  the  Gold 
Commissioner  for  the  district  in  which  the  lands  lie. 

If  any  case  arise  for  which  no  provision  is  made  in 
these  regulations,  the  provisions  of  the  regulations 
governing  the  disposal  of  mineral  lands  other  than  coal 
lands  approved  by  His  Excellency  the  Governor  in 
Council  on  the  9th  of  November,  1889,  shall  apply. 

RECENT    CHANGE. 

The  Department  of  the  Interior  has  forwarded  the 
following  notice  to  the  Yukon : 

"Clauses  4  and  8  of  the  regulations  governing  placer 
mining  on  the  Yukon  River  and  its  tributaries  are 
amended  by  reducing  the  length  of  a  creek  and  river 
claim  to  100  feet,  and  the  length  of  a  creek  and  river 
claim  to  be  granted  to  the  discoverer  of  a  new  mine  to 
200  feet.  The  fee  for  the  renewal  of  an  entry  for  a 
claim  has  been  rtduced  from  $100  to  $15. 


FORM  "J" 

CERTIFICATE  OF  THE  ASSIGNMENT  OF  A  PLACER 

MINING    CLAIM. 


No. 


DEPARTMENT  OF  THE  INTERIOR. 


Agency 189. . 

This  is  to  certify  that (B.  C.)  has  (or  have) 

filed  an  assignment  in  due  form  dated 

189..,  and  accompanied  by  a  registration  fee  of  two 

dollars,  of  the  grant  to (A.  B.)  of 

of  the  right  (insert  description  of  claim)  to  mine  in 

for  one  year 

from 189. . 


APPENDIX. 


287 


This  certificate  entitled  the  said .(B.  C.) 

to  all  the  rights  and  privileges  of  the  said (A. 

B.)  in  respect  of  the  claim  assigned,  that  is  to  say,  to 
the  exclusive  right  of  entry  upon  the  said  claim  for 
miner-like  workmg  thereof  and  the  construction  of  a 
residence  thereon,  and  the  exclusive  right  to  all  the 
proceeds  therefrom,  for  the  remaining  portion  of  the 
year  for  which  the  said  claim  was  granted  to  the  said 

(A.  B.)  that  is  to  say,  until  the 

day  of   .....189..,  the  said (B. 

C.)  shall  be  entitled  to  the  use  of  so  much  of  the  water 
naturally  flowing  through  or  past  his  (u.  their)  claim 
and  not  already  lawfully  appropriated  as  shall  be  neces- 
sary for  the  due  working  thereof,  and  to  drain  the 
claim  free  of  charge. 

This  grant  does  not  convey  to  the  said 

(B.  C.)  any  surface  rights  in  said  claim,  or  any  rights 
of  ownership  in  the  soil  covered  by  said  claim,  and  the 
said  grant  shall  lapse  and  be  forfeited  unless  the  claim 
is  continually,  and  in  good  faith,  worked  by  the  said 
(B.  C.) or  his  (or  their)  asso- 
ciates. 

The  rights  hereby  granted  are  those  laid  down  in 
the  Dominion  Mining  Regulations,  and  no  more,  and 
are  subject  to  all  the  provisions  of  the  said  regulations, 
whether  the  same  are  expressed  herein  or  not. 


Gold  Commissioner. 


FORM  "H." 

APPLICATION    FOR    GRANT    FOR    PLACER    MINING 
CLAIM  AND  AFFIDAVIT  OF  APPLICANT. 


I,  <^or  we) ,of hereby   apply   under 

the  Dominion  Mining  Regulations,  for  a  grant  of  a 
claim  for  placer  mining  as  defined  in  the  said  regula- 


II 


THE  GOLDEN  NORTH. 


tions,  in  (here  describe  locality) 

and  I  (or  we)  solemnly  swear: 

T.  That  I  (or  we)  have  discovered  therein  a  deposit 
of  (here  name  the  metal  or  mineral). 

2.  That  I  (or  we)  am  (or  are)  to  the  best  of  my  (or 
our)  knowledge  and  belief,  the  first  discover  (or  dis- 
coverers) of  the  said  deposit;   or, 

3.  That  the  said  claim  was  previously  granted  to 
(here  name  the  last  grantee),  but  has  remained  un- 

■  worked  by  the  said  grantee  for  not  less  than 

4.  That  I  (or  we)  am  (or  are)  unaware  that  the  land 
is  other  than  vacant  Dominion  Land. 

5.  That  I  (or  we)  did,  on  the day  of 

mark  out  on  the  ground,  in  accordance  in  every  partic- 
ular with  the  provisions  of  the  Mining  Regulations  for 
the  Yukon  River  and  its  tributaries,  the  claim  for  which 
I  (or  we)  make  this  application,  and  that  in  so  doing  I 
(or  we)  did  not  encroach  on  any  other  claim  or  mining 
location  ^^reviously  laid  out  by  an\  other  person. 

6.  That  the  said  mining  claim  contained,  as  nearly  as 

I  (or  we)  could  measure  or  estimate,  an  area  of 

square  feet,  and  that  the  description  (and  sketch,  if 
any)  of  this  date  hereto  attached,  signed  by  me  (or  us) 
sets  (or  set)  forth  in  detail,  to  the  best  of  my  (or  our) 
knowledge  and  ability,  iis  position,  form  and  dimen- 
sions. 

7.  That  I  (or  we)  make  this  application  in  good  faith, 
to  acquire  the  claim  for  the  sole  purpose  of  mining, 
prosecuted  by  myself  (or  us)  or  by  myself  and  asso- 
ciates, or  by  my  (or  our)  assigns. 

Sworn  before  me  at this ...... 

day  of 189. . 

(Signature.) 


APPENDIX. 

FORM  "I." 

GRANT  FOR  PLACER  CLAIM. 


289 


DEPARTMENT  OF  THE  INTERIOR. 

No Agency 189.. 

In  consideration  of  the  payment  ot  the  fee  prescribed 
by  Clause  12  of  the  mining  regulations  for  the  Yukon 

River  and  its  Tributaries  by  (A.  B.)  of , 

accompanying  his  (or  their)  application  No , 

dated 189.  .  for  a  mining  claim  in  (here 

insert  description  of  locality),  the  Minister  of  the  In- 
terior   hereby    grants    to    the    said (A.  B.) 

for  the  term  of  one  year  from  the  date  here- 
of the  exclusive  right  of  entry  upon  the  claim  (here 
describe  in  detail  the  claim  granted)  for  the  miner- 
like  working  thereof  and  the  construction  of  a  resi- 
dence thereon,  and  the  exclusive  right  to  all  the  pro- 
ceeds realized  therefrom. 

The  said (A.  B.) shall  be  entitled 

to  the  use  of  so  much  water  naturally  flowing  through 
or  past  his  (or  their)  clami,  and  not  already  lawfully 
appropriated,  as  shall  be  necessary  for  the  due  work- 
ing thereof,  and  to  drain  his  (or  their)  claim,  free  of 
charge.^ 

This  grant  does  not  convey  to  the  said (A.  B.) 

any  surface  rights  in  the  said  claim,  or  any  right 

of  ownership  in  the  soil  covered  by  the  said  claim;  and 
the  said  grant  shall  lapse  and  be  forfeited  unless  the 
claim  is  continuously  and  in  good  faith  worked  by  the 
said.  ...    .(A.  B.) or  his  (or  their)  associates. 

The  rights  hereby  granted  are  those  laid  down  in 
the  aforesaid  mining  regulations,  and  no  more,  and  are 
subject  to  all  the  provisions  of  the  said  regulations, 
whether  the  same  are  expressed  herein  or  not. 

Gold  Commissioner. 


J90 


THE  GOLDEN  NORTH. 


ALASKA  MINING  LAWS. 

The  Act  of  Congress  of  May  17,  1884,  providing  a 
civil  government  for  Alaska,  provides  that:  "The  laws 
of  the  United  States  relating  to  mining  claims  and  the 
rights  incident  thereto,  shall,  from  and  after  the  pass- 
age of  this  act,  be  in  full  force  and  effect  in  said  dis- 
trict." The  further  mining  laws  applicable  are  as  fol- 
lows: 

United  States  Revised  Statutes. — Sec.  2318.  In  all 
cases  lands  valuable  for  minerals  shall  be  reserved  from 
sale,  except  as  otherwise  expressly  directed  by  law. 

Sec.  2319.  All  valuable  mineral  deposits  in  lands 
belonging  to  the  United  States,  both  surveyed  and  un- 
surveyed,  are  hereby  declared  to  be  free  and  open  to 
exploration  and  purchase,  and  the  lands  in  which  they 
are  found  to  occupation  and  purchase,  by  citizens  of 
the  United  States  and  those  who  have  declared  their 
intention  to  become  such,  under  regulations  prescribed 
by  law,  and  according  to  the  local  customs  or  rules  of 
miners  in  the  several  mining  districts,  so  far  as  the 
same  are  applicable  and  not  inconsistent  with  the  laws 
of  the  United  States. 

Sec.  2320.  Mining  claims  upon  veins  or  lodes  or 
quartz  or  other  rock  in  place,  bearing  gold,  silver,  cin- 
nabar, lead,  tin,  copper,  or  other  valuable  deposits 
heretofore  located,  shall  be  governed  as  to  length  along 
the  vein  or  lode  by  the  customs,  regulations,  and  laws 
in  'force  at  the  date  of  location.  A  mining  claim  lo- 
cated after  the  tenth  day  of  May,  eighteen  hundred  and 
seventy-two,  whether  located  by  one  or  more  persons, 
may  equal,  but  shall  not  exceed,  one  thousand  five  hun- 
dred feet  in  length  along  the  vein  or  lode;  but  no  lo- 
lation  of  a  mining  claim  shall  be  made  until  the  discov- 
ery of  the  vein  or  lode  within  the  limits  of  the  claim  lo- 
cated. No  claim  shall  extend  more  than  three  hun- 
dred feet  on  each  side  of  the  middle  of  the  vein  at  the 
surface,  nor  shall  any  claim  be  liirited  by  any  mining 


APPENDIX. 


291 


regulation  to  less  than  twenty-five  feet  on  each  side  of 
the  middle  of  the  vein  at  the  surface,  except  where  ad- 
verse rights  existing  on  the  tenth  day  of  May,  eighteen 
hundred  and  seventy-two,  render  such  limitation  neces- 
sary. The  end  lines  of  each  claim  shall  be  parallel  to 
each  other. 

Sec.  2322.  The  locators  of  all  mining  locations  here- 
tofore made  or  which  shall  hereafter  be  made  on  any 
mineral  vein,  lode,  or  ledgre,  situated  on  the  public 
domain,  their  heirs  and  assigns,  where  no  adverse 
claim  exists  on  the  tenth  day  of  May,  eighteen  hun- 
dred and  seventy-two,  so  long  as  they  comply  with  the 
laws  of  the  United  States,  and  with  state,  territorial, 
and  local  regulations  not  in  conflict  with  the  laws  of 
the  United  States  governing  their  possessory  title, 
shall  have  the  exclusive  right  of  possession  and  enjoy- 
ment of  all  the  surface  included  within  the  lines  of  their 
locations,  and  of  all  veins,  lodes,  and  ledges  through- 
out their  entire  depth,  the  top  of  apex  of  which  lies  in- 
side of  such  surface  lines  extended  downward  vertical- 
ly, although  such  veins,  lodes,  or  ledges  may  so  far  de- 
part from  a  perpendicular  in  their  course  downward  as 
to  extend  outside  the  vertical  side  lines  of  such  surface 
locations.  But  their  right  of  possession  to  such  out- 
side parts  of  such  veins  or  ledges  shall  be  confined  to 
such  portions  thereof  as  lie  between  vertical  planes 
drawn  downward  as  above  described,  through  the  end 
lines  of  their  locations,  so  continued  in  their  own  di- 
rection that  such  planes  will  intersect  such  exterior 
parts  of  such  veins  or  ledges.  And  nothing  in  this 
section  shall  authorize  the  locator  or  possession  of  a 
vein  or  lode  which  extends  in  its  downward  course  be- 
yond the  vertical  lines  of  his  claim  to  enter  upon  the 
surface  of  a  claim  owned  or  possessed  by  another. 

Sec.  2324.  The  miners  of  each  mining  district  may 
make  regulations  not  in  conflict  with  the  laws  of  the 
United  States,  or  with  the  laws  of  the  state  or  territory 
in  which  the  district  is  situated,  governing  the  location, 
manner  of  recording,  amount  of  work  necessary  to 


^■i^lp 


2Q2 


THE  GOLDEN  NORTH. 


hold  possession  of  a  mining  claim,  subject  to  the  fol- 
lowing requirements:  The  location  must  be  distinct- 
ly marked  on  the  ground,  so  that  its  boundaries  can  be 
readily  traced.  All  records  of  mining  claims  hereafter 
made  shall  contain  the  name  or  names  of  the  locators, 
the  date  of  the  location,  and  such  description  of  the 
claim  or  claims  located  by  reference  to  some  natural 
object  or  permanent  monument  as  will  identify  the 
claim.  On  each  claim  located  after  the  tenth  day  of 
May,  eighteen  hundred  and  seventy-two,  and  until  a 
patent  has  been  issued  therefor,  not  less  than  one  hun- 
dred dollars'  worth  of  labor  shall  be  performed  or  im- 
provements made  during  each  year.  On  all  claims  lo- 
cated prior  to  the  tenth  of  May,  eighteen  hundred  and 
seventy-two,  ten  dollars'  worth  of  labor  shall  be  per- 
formed or  improvements  made  by  the  tenth  day  of 
June,  eighteen  hundred  and  seventy-four,  and  each 
year  thereafter,  for  each  one  hundred  feet  in  length 
along  the  vein,  until  a  patent  has  been  issued  therefor; 
but  where  such  'laims  are  held  in  common,  such  ex- 
penditure may  be  made  upon  any  one  claim ;  and  upon 
a  failure  to  comply  with  these  conditions,  the  claim  or 
mine  upon  which  such  failure  occurred  shall  be  opened 
to  relocation  in  the  same  manner  as  if  no  location  of 
the  same  had  ever  been  made:  Provided,  That  the 
original  locators,  their  heirs,  assigns,  or  legal  repre- 
sentatives, have  not  resumed  work  upon  the  claim  after 
failure  and  before  such  location.  Upon  the  failure  of 
any  one  of  several  co-owners  to  contribute  his  propor- 
tion of  the  expenditures  required  hereby,  the  co-own- 
ers who  have  performed  the  labor  or  made  the  im- 
provements may,  at  the  expiration  of  the  year,  give 
such  delinquent  co-owner  personal  notice  in  writing 
or  notice  by  publication  in  the  newspaper  published 
nearest  the  claim,  for  at  least  once  a  week  for  ninety 
days,  and  if  at  the  expiration  of  ninety  days  after  such 
notice  in  writing  or  by  publication  such  delinquent 
should  fail  or  refuse  to  contribute  his  proportion  of  the 
expenditure  required  by  this  section,  his  interest  in  the 


APPENDIX. 


293 


claim  shall  become  the  property  of  his  co-owners,  who 
have  made  the  expenditures. 

Sec.  2336.  Where  two  or  more  veins  intersect  or 
cross  each  other,  priority  of  title  shall  govern,  and  such 
prior  location  shall  be  entitled  to  all  ore  or  mineral 
cor.tained  within  the  space  of  intersection;  but  the  sub- 
sequent location  shall  have  the  right  of  way  through 
the  space  of  intersection  for  the  purposes  of  the  con- 
venient working  of  the  mine.  And  where  two  or 
more  veins  unite,  the  oldest  or  prior  location  shall 
take  the  vein  below  tht  point  of  union,  including  all 
the  space  of  intersection. 

Sec.  2335.  A  patent  for  any  land  claimed  and  lo- 
cated for  valuable  deposits  may  be  obtained  in  the 
following  manner:  Any  person,  association,  or  cor- 
poration authorized  to  locate  a  claim  under  this  chap- 
ter, having  claimed  and  located  a  piece  of  land  for  such 
purposes,  who  has,  or  have,  complied  with  the  terms 
of  this  chapter,  may  file  in  the  proper  land-ofifice  an 
application  for  a  patent,  under  oath,  showing  ^uch 
compliance,  together  with  a  plat  and  field-notes  of  the 
claim  or  claims  in  common,  made  by  or  under  the  di- 
rection of  the  United  States  Surveyor-General,  show- 
ing accurately  the  boundaries  of  the  claim  or  claims, 
which  shall  be  distinctly  marked  by  monuments  on 
the  ground,  and  shall  post  a  copy  of  such  plat,  together 
with  a  notice  of  such  application  for  a  patent,  in  a  con- 
spicious  place  on  the  land  embraced  in  such  plat 
previous  to  the  filing  of  the  application  for  a  patent, 
and  shall  file  an  affidavit  of  at  least  two  persons  that 
such  notice  has  been  duly  posted,  and  shall  file  a  copy 
of  the  notice  in  such  land-oflfice,  and  shall  thereupon 
be  entitled  to  a  patent  for  the  land,  in  the  manner  fol- 
lowing: The  register  of  the  land-office,  upon  the  fil- 
ing of  such  application,  plat,  field-notes,  notices,  and 
affidavits,  shall  publish  a  notice  that  such  application 
has  been  made,  for  the  period  of  sixty  days,  in  a  news- 
paper to  be  by  him  designated  as  published  nearest  to 
such  claim;  and  he  shall  also  post  such  notice  in  his 


:'^ 


■  HW"».WlflPtlM|i 


•IWWW^ 


294 


THE  GOLDEN  NORTH. 


office  for  the  same  period.  The  claimant  at  the  time  of 
fiUng  this  appHcation,  or  at  any  time  thereafter,  within 
sixty  days  of  pubhcation,  shall  file  with  the  register  a 
certificate  of  the  United  States  surveyor-general  that 
five  hundred  dollars'  worth  of  labor  has  been  expended 
on  improvements  made  upon  the  claim  by  himself  or 
grantors;  that  the  plat  is  correct,  with  such  further 
description  by  such  reference  to  natural  objects  or  per- 
manent monuments  as  shall  identify  the  claim,  and 
furnish  an  accurate  description,  to  be  incorporated  in 
the  patent.  At  the  expiration  of  the  sixty  days  of  pub- 
lication the  cliamant  shall  file  his  affidavit,  showing 
that  the  plat  and  notice  have  been  posted  in  a  con- 
spicuous place  on  the  claim  during  such  period  of  pub- 
lication. If  no  adverse  claim  shall  have  been  filed  with 
the  register  and  the  leceiver  of  the  proper  land-office 
at  the  -"xpiration  ol  the  sixty  days  of  publication,  it 
shall  be  assumed  that  the  applicant  is  entitled  to  a 
patent,  upon  the  payment  to  the  proper  officer  of  five 
dollars  per  acre,  and  that  no  adverse  claim  exists ;  and 
thereafter  no  objection  from  third  parties  to  the  is- 
suance of  a  patent  shall  be  heard,  except  it  be  shown 
that  the  applicant  has  failed  to  comply  with  the  terms 
of  this  chapter. 

Sec.  2327.  The  description  of  vein  or  lode  claims, 
upon  surveyed  lands,  shall  designate  the  location  of  the 
claim  with  reference  to  the  lines  of  the  public  surveys, 
but  need  not  conform  therewith;  but  where  a  patent 
shall  be  issued  for  claims  upon  unsurveyed  lands,  the 
surveyor-general,  in  extending  the  surveys,  shall  ad- 
just the  same  to  the  boundaries  of  such  patented  claim, 
according  to  the  plat  or  description  thereof,  but  so  as 
in  no  case  to  interfere  with  or  change  the  location  of 
any  such  patented  claim. 

Act  of  Congress  of  January  22,  1880. — An  Act  to 
amend  sections  twenty-three  hundred  and  twenty-four 
and  twenty-three  hundred  and  twenty-five  of  the  Re- 
vised Statutes  of  the  United  States  concerning  mineral 
lands. 


V:i 


•H 


APPENDIX 


295 


Be  it  enacted,  etc.,  That  section  twenty-three  hun- 
dred and  twenty-five  of  the  Revised  Statutes  of  the 
United  States  be  amended  by  adding  hereto  the  follow- 
ing words:  "Provided,  That  where  the  claimant  for 
a  patent  is  not  a  resident  of  or  within  the  land  district 
wherein  the  vein,  lodge,  ledge  or  deposit  sought  to 
be  patented  is  located,  the  application  for  patent  and 
the  affidavits  required  to  be  made  in  this  section  by  the 
claimant  for  such  patent  may  be  made  by  his,  her,  or 
its  authorized  agent,  where  said  agent  is  conversant 
with  the  facts  sought  to  be  established  by  said  affi- 
davits; And  provided,  That  this  section  shall  apply 
to  all  applications  now  pending  for  patents  to  mineral 
lands." 

Sec.  2.  That  section  twenty-three  hundred  and 
twenty-four  of  the  Revised  Statutes  of  the  United 
States  be  amended  by  adding  thereto  the  following 
words:  "Provided,  That  the  period  within  which  the 
work  required  to  be  done  annually  on  all  unpatented 
mineral  claims  shall  commence  on  the  first  day  of  Janu- 
ary succeeding  the  date  of  location  of  such  claim,  and 
this  section  shall  apply  to  all  claims  located  since  the 
tenth  of  May,  anno  Domini  eighteen  hundred  and 
geventy-two." 

Act  of  Congress  01  February  11,  1875. — An  Act  to 
amend  section  two  thousand  three  hundred  and  twen- 
ty-four of  the  Revised  Statutes,  relating  to  the  --- 
velopment  of  the  mining  resources  of  the  United 
States. 

Be  it  enacted,  etc.,  That  section  two  thousand  three 
hundred  and  twenty-four  of  the  Revised  Statutes  be, 
and  the  same  is  hereby  amended  to  that  where  a  person 
or  company  has  or  may  run  a  tunnel  for  the  purpose 
of  developing  a  lode  or  lodes,  owned  by  said  person  or 
company,  the  money  so  expended  in  said  tunnel  shall 
be  taken  and  considered  as  expended  on  said  lode  or 
lodes,  whether  located  prior  to  or  since  the  passage  of 
said  act,  and  such  person  or  company  shall  not  be  re- 
quired to  perform  work  on  the  surface  of  said  lode  or 


mt 


PiiiWIIJ" 


296 


THE  GOLDEN  NORTH. 


>7 

/ 


lodes  in  order  to  hold  the  same  as  required  by  said  act. 
[See  page  43.] 

United  States  Law. — Sec.  2323.  Where  a  tunnel  is 
run  for  the  development  of  a  vein  or  lode,  or  for  the  dis- 
covery of  mines,  the  owners  of  such  tunnel  shall  have 
the  right  of  possession  of  all  veins  or  lodes  within  three 
thousand  feet  from  the  face  of  such  tunnel  on  the  line 
thereof,  not  previously  kr\pwn  to  exist,  discovered  in 
such  tunnel,  to  the  same  extent  as  if  discovered  from 
the  surface:  and  locations  on  the  line  of  such  tunnel 
of  veins  or  lodes,  not  appearing  on  the  surface,  made 
by  other  parties  after  the  commencement  of  the  tunnel, 
and  while  the  same  is  being  prosecuted  with  reasonable 
diligence,  shall  be  invaHd;  but  failure  to  prosecute  the 
work  on  the  tunnel  for  six  months  shall  be  considered 
as  an  abandonment  of  the  right  to  all  undiscovered 
veins  on  the  line  of  such  tunnel. 


PLACER  CLAIMS. 

Sec.  2329.  Claims  usually  called  "placers,"  includ- 
ing all  forms  of  deposit,  excepting  veins  of  quartz,  or 
other  rock  in  place,  shall  be  subject  to  entry  and  pat- 
ent, under  like  circumstances  and  conditions,  and  upon 
similar  proceedings,  as  are  provided  for  vein  or  lode 
claims;  but  where  the  lands  have  been  previously  sur- 
veyed by  the  United  States,  the  entry  in  its  exterior 
limits  shall  conform  to  the  legal  subdivisions  of  the 
public  lands. 

United  States  Law. — Sec.  2330.  Legal  subdivisions 
of  forty  acres  may  be  subdivided  into  ten-acre  tracts; 
and  two  or  more  persons,  or  associations  of  persons, 
having  contiguous  claims  of  any  size,  although  such 
claims  may  be  less  than  ten  acres  each,  may  make 
joint  entry  thereof;  but  no  location  of  a  placer-claim, 
made  after  the  ninth  day  of  July,  eighteen  hundred 
and  seventy,  shall  exceed  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres 
for  any  one  person  or  association  of  persons,  which  lo- 
cation shall  conform  to  the  United  States  surveys ;  and 


APPENDIX. 


^7 


nothing  in  this  section  contained  shall  defeat  or  impair 
any  bona  fide  pre-emption  or  homestead  claim  upon 
agricultural  lands,  or  authorize  the  sale  of  the  im- 
provements of  any  bona  fide  settler  to  any  pur- 
chaser. 

Sec.  2331.  Where  placer-claims  are  upon  surveyed 
lands,  and  conform  to  legal  subdivisions,  no  further 
survey  or  plat  shall  be  required,  ard  all  placer  mining 
claims  located  after  the  tenth  of  May,  eighteen  hun- 
dred and  seventy-two,  shall  conform  as  near  as  prac- 
ticable with  the  United  States  system  of  public-land 
surveys,  and  the  rectangular  subdivisions  of  such  sur- 
veys, and  no  such  location  shall  include  more  than 
twenty  acres  for  each  individual  claimant;  but  where 
placer-claims  can  not  be  conformed  to  legal  subdivis- 
ions, survey  and  plat  shall  be  made  as  on  unsurveyed 
lands;  and  where  by  the  segregation  of  mineral  lands 
in  any  legal  subdivision  a  quantity  of  agricultural  land 
less  than  forty  acres  remains,  such  fractional  portions 
of  agricultural  land  may  be  entered  by  any  party  quali- 
fied by  law,  for  homestead  or  pre-emption  purposes. 

PLACER  CLAIMS  CONTAINING  LODES. 

United  States  Law. — Sec.  2333.  Where  vhe  same 
person,  association,  or  corporation  is  in  possession  of 
a  placer  claim,  and  also  a  vein  or  lode  included  within 
the  boundaries  thereof,  application  shall  be  made  for  a 
patent  for  the  placer  claim,  with  the  statement  that  it 
includes  such  vein  or  lode,  and  in  such  case  a  patent 
shall  issue  for  a  placer-claim,  subject  to  the  provisions 
of  this  chapter,  including  such  vein  or  lode,  upon  the 
payment  of  five  dollars  per  acre  for  such  vein  or  lode 
claim,  and  twenty-five  feet  of  surface  on  each  side  there- 
of. The  remainder  of  the  placer  claim,  or  any  placer 
claim  not  embracing  any  vein  or  lode  claim,  shall  be 
paid  for  at  the  rate  of  two  dollars  and  fifty  cents  per 
acre,  together  with  all  costs  of  proceedings ;  and  where 
a  vein  or  lode,  such  as  is  described  in  section  twenty- 
80 


•i 

■\ 

^ 

' 

1 

•t 

> 

; 

'V 


29^ 


The  golden  north. 


three  hundred  and  twenty,  is  known  to  exist  within 
the  boundaries  of  a  placer-claim,  an  application  for  a 
patent  for  such  placer  claim  which  does  not  include  an 
application  for  the  vein  or  lode  claim  shall  be  con- 
strued as  a  conclusive  declaration  that  the  claimant  of 
the  placer  claim  has  no  right  of  possession  of  the  vein 
or  lode  claim;  but  where  the  existence  of  a  vein  or 
lode  in  a  placet -claim  is  not  known,  a  patent  for  the 
placer-claim  shall  convey  all  valuable  mineral  and  other 
deposits  within  the  boundaries  thereof. 

United  States  Law. — Sec.  2332.  Where  such  person 
or  association,  they  and  their  grantors,  have  held  and 
worked  their  claims  for  a  period  equal  to  the  time  pre- 
scribed by  the  statute  of  limitations  for  mining  claims  of 
the  State  or  Territory  where  the  same  may  be  situated, 
evidence  of  such  possession  and  working  of  the  claims 
for  such  period  shall  be  sufficient  to  establish  a  right  to 
a  patent  thereto  under  this  chapter,  in  the  absence  of 
any  adverse  claim;  but  nothing  in  this  chapter  shall 
be  deemed  to  impair  any  lien  which  may  have  at- 
tached in  any  way  whatever  to  any  mining  claim  or 
properly  thereto  attached  prior  to  the  issuance  of  a 
patent. 

United  States  Law. — Sec.  2321.  Proof  of  citizen- 
ship, under  this  chapter,  may  consist,  in  the  case  of  an 
individual,  of  his  own  affidavit  thereof;  in  the  case  of 
an  association  of  persons  unincorporated,  of  the  affi- 
davit of  their  authorized  agent,  made  on  his  own 
knowledge,  or  upon  information  and  belief;  and  in 
the  case  of  a  corporation  organized  under  the  laws  of 
the  United  States,  or  of  any  State  or  Territory  thereof, 
by  the  filing  of  a  certified  copy  of  their  charter  or  cer- 
tificate of  incorporation. 


APPENDIX. 


2^9 


APPENDIX  IV. 
CANADIAN  LAND  REGULATIONS. 

It  is  reasonable  to  suppose  that  as  the  mining  camps 
increase  in  the  gold  fields  of  the  far  northwest,  there 
will  be  a  considerable  immigration  into  the  agricul- 
tural and  stock-raising  prairies  adjacent  thereto  in 
Canadian  territory.  Enterprise  in  the  gold  districts 
will  make  farming,  stock-raising,  and  dairy  products 
very  profitable  in  that  region,  and  it  is  fair  to  suppose 
that  cattle  and  horse  ranches,  dairy  farms,  and  ag- 
ricidtural  pursuits  generally  will  at  once  be  developed 
in  tie  Peace  River  country,  from  which  the  mining 
camps  in  the  mountains  and  sic  pes  to  the  westward 
may  be  easily  supplied,  and  at  great  profit  to  settlers. 
One  may  expect  to  see  a  large  flouring  mill  established 
in  the  Peace  River  country  before  the  end  of  another 
year. 

On  account  of  these  prospectors  it  will  be  to  the  ad- 
vantage of  Hiany  readers  to  include  here  the  land  laws 
and  regulations  of  Canada  in  respect  of  this  territory. 
Here  follows  a  summary  of  the  regulations  applicable 
to  the  free  grants  or  homesteads,  sale,  settlement,  etc., 
of  the  lands  of  Canada: 

Under  the  Dominion  Lands  Regulations  all  sur- 
veyed even-numbered  sections,  excepting  8  and  26 
(Hudson  Bay  lands),  in  Manitoba  and  the  Northwest 
Territories,  which  have  not  been  homesteaded,  re- 
served to  provide  wood  lots  for  settlers,  or  otherwise 
disposed  of  or  reserved,  are  to  be  held  exclusively  for 
homestead.  Odd-numbered  sections  (with  ^he  excep- 
tion of  II  and  29,  which  are  school  lands)  for  24  miles 
on  each  side  of  the  Canadian  Pacific  Railway,  may  be 
generally  stated  to  be  railway  lands,  purchasable  from 


F 


300 


THE  GOJ.DEN  NORTH, 


the  company,  and  not  open  for  homestead.  There  are 
also  other  railway  lands,  which  have  been  appropriated 
in  aid  of  similar  under^^akings,  and  generally  speaking 
it  may  be  said  that  sections  bearing  odd  numbers  are 
either  disposed  of  or  reserved  as  grants  in  aid  of  the 
construction  of  railways. 

Free  grants  of  one  quarter-section  (160  acres)  of 
surveyed  agricultiiral  lands  may  be  obtained  by  ai\y 
person  who  is  the  sole  head  of  a  family,  or  by  any  male 
who  has  attained  the  age  of  18  years,  on  application 
to  the  local  agent  of  Dominion  Lands  for  the  district 
in  which  the  parcel  applied  for  is  situated,  and  by  mak- 
ing an  entry  and  within  .  ix  months  thereafter  erect- 
ing a  habitable  house  and  commencing  actual  resi- 
dence upon  the  land,  and  continuing  to  reside  upon  it 
for  at  least  six  months  in  each  year  for  the  three  next 
succeeding  years,  and  doing  reasonable  cultivation 
duties  during  that  period.  An  office  fee  of  $10  is  levied. 
For  lands  which  have  been  occupied  an  additional  $10 
is  charged  to  meet  inspection  and  cancellation  ex- 
penses. 

Persons  making  entry  for  homesteads  on  and  after 
1st  September  in  any  year  are  allowed  until  ist  June 
following  to  perfect  their  entries  by  commencing  the 
performance  of  their  settlement  duties  in  accordance 
with  the  terms  of  entry  in  each  case. 

In  the  event  of  a  homesteader  desiring  to  secure  his 
patent  within  a  shorter  period  than  the  three  years,  he 
will  be  permitted  to  purchase  it  at  the  Government 
price  ruling  at  the  time  of  entry,  on  furnishing  proof 
that  he  has  resided  on  the  land  for  at  least  twelve 
months  subsequent  to  date  of  entry,  and  has  cultivated 
30  acres  thereof. 

The  pre-emption  system  has  been  abolished,  but  a 
settler  desiring  to  acquire  a  larger  holding  than  160 
acres,  and  having  the  means  to  pay  for  it,  can  buy 
-from  the  Government  a  quarter-section  (adjoining  his 
homestead,  if  then  available),  one-fourth  of  the  pur- 
chase money  being  payable  at  the  time  of  the  talc,  and 


I 


•/ 


APPENDIX. 


302 


1  »■  f. 


ft;' 


the  balance  in  three  equal  annual  instalments  with  in- 
terest at  six  per  cent  per  annum,  or  he  may  be  able  to 
buy  from  the  railway  company  the  whole  or  part  of  an 
adjoining  odd-numbered  section,  as  he  may  find  ex- 
pedient. 

Free  grants  can  be  obtamed  within  a  reasonable  dis- 
tance to  the  west  of  Winnipeg,  and  of  the  line  of  rail- 
way. An  inquiry  of  any  of  the  Government  land  agents 
will,  however,  elicit  information  as  to  the  most  desira- 
ble land  available  for  settlement. 

Information  respecting  timber,  mineral,  coal,  graz- 
ing and  hay  lands  may  also  be  obtained  from  any  of 
the  land  agents.  Homesteaders  are  entitled  to  free 
permits  to  cut  a  specified  quantity  of  timber  for  their 
own  use  only,  upon  payment  of  an  office  fee  of  25 
cents. 

It  must  be  distinctly  understood  that  the  land  regu- 
lations are  subject  to  variations  from  time  to  time. 
Settlers  should  take  care  to  obtain  from  the  land  agents 
when  making  their  entry  an  explanation  of  the  actual 
regulations  in  force  at  ihat  time,  and  the  clause  of  the 
Act  under  which  the  entry  is  made  endorsed  upon  the 
receipt,  so  that  no  question  or  difficulty  may  then  or 
thereafter  arise. 

The  settler  may  sometimes  find  it  convenient  to  buy 
lands  partly  improved,  with  buildings  and  fences  upon 
them,  of  private  proprietors.  It  very  frequently  hap- 
pens that  half-breed  or  other  lands  may  be  obtained 
on  moderate  terms. 

The  following  diagram  shows  the  manner  in  which 
the  country  is  surveyed.  It  represents  a  township — 
that  is,  a  tract  of  land  six  miles  square,  containing  36 
sections  of  one  square  mile  each.  These  sections  are 
subdivided  into  quarter-sections  of  160  acres  each. 


302 


THE  GOLDEN  NORTH. 


TOWNSHIP  DIAGRAM. 


I 


TOWNSHI?   DlACnRAM, 

640  Acres.  K. 


w. 


31: 

••32- 

33 

34 

35- 

-36 

.30- 

School 

29-- 
Lands 

••28-- 

.••27.  • 

H.B. 

.•26- 
Land^ 

..25.. 

••19- 

■•20- ■ 

•  21  • 

••22-- 

23  " 

■•24'^ 

..jy.. 

•  n-  • 

•16  • 

••15-' 

•  14  • 

• 

^•13 

,.7.  . 

h.:b. 

••8- 
Lands 

•  -g- 

•lO-- 

School 

•ll- 
Lanod 

■  12-  • 

6 

..5.  . 

..4.. 

3 

•  2- 

..1... 

E. 


S. 


The  Government  makes  no  advances  of  money  to 
settlers,  and,  for  the  better  encouragement  of  bona 
fide  settlement,  reserve  to  themselves  the  right  to  de- 
clare null  and  void  every  assignment  or  transfer  of 
homestead  or  pre-emption  right  made  before  the  issue 
of  the  patent,  except  in  cases  where  any  per  jon  or  com- 
pany is  desirous  of  assisting  intending  settlers,  when 
the  sanction  of  the  Minister  of  the  Interior  to  the  ad- 
vance having  been  obtained,  the  settler  has  power  to 
create  a  charge  upon  his  homestead  for  a  sum  not  ex- 
ceeding six  hundred  dollars,  and  interest  not  exceeding 
8  per  cent  per  annum,  provided  that  particulars  of  how 
such  an  advance  has  been  expended  for  his  benefit  be 
first  furnished  to  the  settler  and  verified  by  the  local 
agent,  or  if  the  charge  be  made  previous  to  the  ad- 
vance, then  such  charge  shall  only  operate  to  the  ex- 


_      y 


V, 


APPENDIX, 


303 


I 


» 


tent  certified  to  by  the  local  agent  as  having  been  ac- 
tually advanced  to  or  expended  for  the  benefit  of  the 
settler.  One-half  of  the  advance  may  be  devoted  to 
prying  the  cost  of  the  passage  of  the  settler,  paying 
for  the  homestead  entry,  providing  for  the  subsistence 
of  the  settler  and  his  family,  and  to  erecting  and  insur- 
ing buildings  on  the  homestead,  and  the  remainder 
to  breaking  land  and  providing  horses,  cattle,  and  fur- 
niture, farm  implements,  seed  grain,  etc. 

For  the  further  protection  of  the  settler  it  is  provided 
that  the  time  for  payment  of  the  first  instalment  of  in- 
terest on  any  such  advance  shall  not  be  earlier  than  the 
1st  of  November  in  any  year,  and  shall  not  be  within 
two  years  from  the  establishment  of  the  settler  upon  the 
homestead,  and  also  that  tlie  settler  shall  not  be  bound 
to  pay  the  capital  of  such  advance  within  a  less  period 
tlian  four  years  from  the  date  of  his  establishment  on 
his  homestead. 


r      ( 


304 


THE  GOLDEN  NORTH 


APPENDIX    V. 
SUPPLIES. 

The  following  list  of  supplies  for  one  man  for  a  year, 
for  Klondike  travel  and  mining,  may  be  cut  down  to , 
suit,  but  it  contains  about  everything  a  man  wants  for 
the  trip: 

Flour lbs.  400 

Corn  meal 20 

Rolled  oats 36 

Rice 25 

Beans 100 

Sugar 75 

Dried  Fruits 75 

Candles 20 

Dry  Salt  Pork 50 

Evaporated  Potatoes 25 

Evaporated  Onions  5 

Bacon   150 

Baking  Powder 10 

Soda 3 

Salt 20 

Ginger ^ 

Pepper I 

Mustard ^ 

Coffee 25 

Tea  10 

Compressed  Soup  Vegetables 10 

Soap ; 5 

Condensed  Milk tins  24 

Yeast  Cakes   .... pkg    6 

Matches 60 

Butter,  Extract  of  Beef,  Tobacco,    Jamaica    Ginger, 
Evaporated  Vinegar. 


1 

■' 

i 

1 

5 

' 

- 

f  ' 

^ 

\ 

« 

• 

i 

APPENDIX. 


s-^s 


itr:. 


'' 


Gold  pan i 

Granite  buckets 2 

Knife  and  fork 2 

Spoons,  assorted 6 

Bread  pan i 

Cups 2 

Plates,  tin 3 

Whet  stone 

Cofifee  pot 

Pick  and  handles 

Hatchet   

Saws,  whip 

Saws,  hand 

Shovels  

Files,  assorted  

Axe  and  handle 

Draw  knite 

Brace  and  bits,  assorted 

Chisels,  assorted 3 

Butcher  knife •    •  • •  •  •  • 

Compass 

Revolver ._ 

Stove 

Frying  pan 

Rope,  half-inch,  150  feet;  Nails,  20  lbs.;  Pitch, 
Oakum,  Medicine. 

2  augers,  i  and  2  inch. 

4  steel  drills,  i  inch. 

I  heavy  hammer,  4  lbs. 

1  single  hand  hammer. 

Fuse  and  caps. 

75  tbs.  dynamite. 

I  folding  oven. 

1  heavy  duck  tent,  12x12,  wall  sides  (center  pole 
may  be  of  4-inch  piping  in  4  feet  lengths  to  serve  as  a 
stove  pipe). 

2  rubber  sheets. 

1  'arge  cow  hide,  tanned  with  hair  on,  is  very  useful. 

2  pairs  heavy  blankets. 


% 


3o6 


THE  GOLDEN  NORTH. 


1  rubber  coat. 

2  pairs  rubber  boots. 

2  pairs  walking  shoes  with  nails. 
lo  pairs  of  moccasins. 

1  pair  gnow  shoes. 
Socks,  mitts  and  gloves. 

3  suits  underwear. 

2  suits  Mackinaw  clothing. 
Mosquito  netting. 

Snow  glasses. 
Sheath  knife. 

The  cost  of  this  outfit  at  Seattle,  or  Calgary,  is  about 
$150.  It  will  require  about  $10,000  to  equip  an  expe- 
dition of  50  men  at  Calgary,  for,  say  eighteen  months. 
In  addition  to  supplies  of  provisions,  clothing,  etc., 
there  will  be  an  additional  cost  of  $5,000  for,  say  50 
native  horses;  40  buckboards  fitted  with  wheels  and 
bobs,  harnesses,  extra  feed  for  horses,  and  incidentals. 
It  will  therefore  require  $15,000  to  thoroughly  equip  an 
expedition  of  say  50  men  for  the  northwest  route  via 
Edmonton  and  the  Peace,  Liard  and  Pellv  Rivers. 
Such  an  expedition  should  have  $5,000  of  a  surplus  on 
hand  for  emergencies. 

To  sum  up,  parties  of  the  following  size  could  reach 
the  Klondike,  via  the  Peace-Liard-Pelly  route,  from 
Edmonton,  with  supplies  for  18  months,  at  the  cost 
given  hereunder,  including  boats  for  the  open  season, 
and  horses  and  sleds  for  the  ice  season: 


4 


Parties  of  4 $  1,500 

Parties  of  10 4.500 

Parties  of  20 8,000 

Parties  of  50 1 5'000 

Parties  of  100 25,000 

Tr>  addition  to  the  amounts  named,  such  expeditions 
should  have  a  surplus  of  from  $500  to  $5,000  on  hand 
for  emergencies.     It  will    require    four    times    these 


I 


0 


APPENDIX  30f 

amounts  to  carry  like  expeditions,  with  equal  supplicb 
and  provisions,  by  any  otlier  '  oute  now  traveled.  The 
Peace-Liard-Pelly  route  is  being  quite  extensively 
traveled  at  the  present  time  by  Canadian  expeditions. 

Expeditions  to  the  far  north  gold  fields  via  the  north- 
west should  consist  of  at  least  four  or  five  persons,  and 
they  will  probably  be  more  successful  if  composed  of 
twenty  or  more.  None  but  experienced  miners  should 
be  taken,  except  that  with  the  larger  expeditions,  car- 
penters, blacksmiths,  boat-builders,  a  surveyor  and  a 
physician  and  surgeon  should  be  included.  It  is  indis- 
pensable that,  even  with  the  smallest  expeditions,  one 
well  acquainted  with  the  uses  of  the  medicine  chest 
should  be  taken.  There  are  no  dangerous  diseases 
indigenous  to  the  country,  but  scurvy  is  liable  to  pre- 
vail in  the  winter  season,  and  should  be  guarded 
against  carefully.  Accidents  are  always  liable  to  occur, 
and  in  such  emergencies  there  should  be  some  one  at 
hand,  with  proper  appliances,  who  knows  how  to  dress 
a  wound,  tie  an  artery  or  put  in  a  few  stitches  to  facili- 
tate healing. 

There  will  be  a  great  deal  of  prospecting  for  gold  in 
the  Klondike  country,  both  east  and  west  of  the  great 
watershed  next  spring  and  summer.  This  work  will 
be  best  carried  on  by  the  larger  expeditions,  carrying 
with  them  extensive  supplies.  The  Stewart,  Macmillan 
and  the  upper  branches  of  the  Pelly  will  no  doubt  be 
visited,  as  also  the  mountain  streams  of  the  Liard  and 
Peace  Rivers.  Should  rich  strikes  of  gold  be  met  with 
on  these  and  the  many  other  rivers  not  yet  explored, 
large  parties  could  locate  claims,  and  the  members  of 
such  expeditions  would  be  sufficiently  close  to  each 
other  to  render  life  in  the  mining  camp  comparatively 
attractive.  The  larger  expeditions  could  also  do  a 
profitable  transportation  and  townsite  business,  as  new 
discoveries  of  gold  will  be  sure  to  attract  others  to 
their  locations. 


. 


